George  Washington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 

ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 
FAMILY  OF 
COLONEL  FLOWERS 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/historygenealogy01byrd 


Colwell  P.  Byrd,  Aged  79  Years 
Pocomoke  City,  Md. 


HISTORY  AND  GENEALOGY 

OF  THE 

BYRD  FAMILY 


From  the  early  part  of  1  700  A.  D.,  when  they 
first  settled  at  Muddy  Creek,  Accomack 
County,  Virginia,  down 
to  A.  D.  1907 


BY 

COLWELL  P.  BYRD 

OF  POCOMOKE  CITY 
MARYLAND 

1908 


Copyrighted  1908 
By  F.  W.  Byrd. 


Q  ^  a 


This  brief  volume  which  has  been  a  pleasurable 
calling  to  the  writer,  is  dedicated  to 
his  devoted  grand-daughters 

ELIZABETH  GRACE  OLDHAM 

HALLIE  JOHNSON  BYRD 
ELIZABETH  FRANKLIN  BYRD 

as  a  token  of  appreciation  of  the  tender  and 
gentle  affection  manifested 
toward  me. 

COLWELL  P.  BYRD. 


PREFACE 


HIS  little  book,  containing  a  brief 
sketch  of  the  buried  history  of  this 
worthy  family,  it  is  hoped  will  be  a 
source  of  gratification  to  many  who  may  read 
it,  and  produce  a  desire  in  them  to  know  more 
of  those  from  whom  they  are  descended. 

What  first  prompted  me  to  take  some  pains 
to  learn  long- forgotten  facts  about  the  Byrd 
family  was  the  desire  of  some  of  the  younger 
members  to  know  something  of  their  ancestors, 
and  finding  them  worthy,  it  is  to  be  hoped 
that  they  will  strive  to  imitate  their  deeds  and 
emulate  their  virtues. 


INTRODUCTION 


HE  author  of  this  work  has  a  vivid 
appreciation  of  the  difficulties  of  his 
task.  Without  special  study  of  simi- 
lar efforts,  without  knowledge  of  heraldry, 
with  but  limited  scholastic  acquirements,  with 
the  best  years  of  his  manhood  given  to  the 
arduous  labor  of  a  brickmason,  notwithstand- 
ing his  ripe  age  of  seventy-eight  years,  he  has 
nevertheless  attempted  to  unravel  the  tangled 
skein  of  a  family  history  dating  back  tradi- 
tionally to  the  time  of  the  first  settlement  of 
the  Byrd  family  on  Muddy  Creek,  Accomack 
county,  Virginia,  early  in  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury. Perhaps,  had  he  known  at  the  begin- 
ning all  the  obstacles  he  was  destined  after- 
wards to  meet,  he  would  have  been  deterred 
from  the  undertaking ;  but  he  set  himself  to 
7 


the  task,  and  the  difficulties  which  he  en- 
countered seemed  to  him,  as  they  arose,  so 
many  added  reasons  why  he  should  press  the 
work  to  a  successful  issue. 

That  he  has  succeeded  in  a  perfect  history 
he  is  far  from  thinking ;  indeed,  he  is  pain- 
fully aware  of  its  imperfections,  more  aware, 
probably,  than  any  one  can  be  who  has  not 
tried  to  do  a  similar  work.  ^Nevertheless  it  is 
his  desire  that  this  brief  history  will  be  a 
source  of  great  gratification  to  many  who  may 
read  it,  and  will  be  found  satisfactory,  to  some 
extent,  to  those  who  are  intimately  related  to 
this  worthy  family,  either  by  blood  ties  or 
marriage  relationship. 

During  the  past  twelve  months  this  impor- 
tant matter  has  impressed  the  writer  and,  be- 
ing requested  by  some  of  the  younger  men  of 
this  great  Byrd  family,  who  desired  to  know 
more  about  their  ancestors,  also  being  aware 
of  the  tendency  with  so  many  people  to  bury 
the  history  of  their  family  with  themselves, 
he  has  taken  upon  himself  the  arduous  effort 
8 


to  produce  a  work  for  which  he  is  inadequate 
to  successfully  complete.  While  the  author 
is  alone  responsible  for  the  book,  he  has  not 
wrought  alone;  many  of  the  members  of  the 
family  have  aided  him  with  sketches  and  other 
valuable  assistance.  His  appreciation  of  this 
kindness  he  has  attempted  otherwise  to  show, 
but  especially  by  publishing  all  that  has  thus 
been  sent  him,  except  when  he  had  positive 
information  that  it  was  inaccurate. 

There  are  several  things  which  have  induced 
the  author  to  attempt  and  carry  forward  his 
undertaking.  First,  that  the  history  of  this 
worthy  family  should  not  be  so  entirely  ne- 
glected and  dropped  and  their  notoriety  of 
worth  and  excellence  should  be  acknowledged 
and  perpetuated  that  have  existed  for  about 
two  centuries  past.  This  interest  is  not  a  mere 
idle  curiosity,  but  is  a  natural  desire  of  the 
mind  to  find  out  all  that  can  be  learned  of  that 
antiquity  out  of  which  it  has  come.  Savages 
may  be  content  to  roam  about  amid  the  ruins 
of  the  houses  formerly  inhabited  by  their 
9 


greater  ancestors,  but  civilized  and  enlight- 
ened men  insist  on  prying  into  hidden  facts 
and  endeavoring  to  learn  their  buried  history. 

Again  the  author  has  felt  a  natural  desire 
to  learn  more  about  his  own  kindred.  The 
past  he  has  sought  to  show  this  generation  is 
not  the  past  of  aliens  and  foreigners,  but  of  those 
whose  blood  flows  in  his  own  veins.  He  ac- 
knowledges a  strong  family  feeling  as  a  motive 
in  his  work.  He  believes  that  to  be  descended 
from  worthy  ancestors  should  prove  to  an 
honorable  mind  a  powerful  incentive  to  hand 
down  to  posterity  a  record  of  like  worth.  And 
he  rejoices  that  his  early  life  spent,  in  part  at 
least,  amid  the  simplicity  and  hardships  of  the 
generations  of  more  than  three  score  years 
past  has  enabled  him  to  appreciate  the  homely 
virtues  and  sturdy  valor  of  the  true-hearted 
men  and  women  who  helped  so  much  to  pro- 
duce the  happy  days  in  which  their  descend- 
ants live.  Thus,  as  a  sort  of  link  between  the 
not  very  remote  past  and  the  present,  he  takes 
great  pleasure  in  keeping  fresh  the  memory  of 
10 


those  of  his  kindred  who  have  ceased  from 
their  labors — the  worthy  name  of  those  Byrds 
who  were  the  descendants  of  the  early  pioneers 
of  the  Byrd  family  of  Muddy  Creek,  Accomack 
county,  Virginia,  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
And  as  the  family  is  a  human  family,  its  his- 
tory thus  becomes  a  matter  of  general  interest 
to  all  who  are  concerned  in  learning  more 
about  our  common  human  nature. 

But  the  author  of  this  history  does  not  hope 
that  his  work  will  interest  many  others  besides 
those  of  whom  it  treats.  These,  however,  he 
hopes  will  enjoy  it,  and  if  it  shall  promote 
among  the  numerous  descendants  of  the  far 
away  founders  of  the  family  a  better  acquain- 
tance, a  sincere  affection,  and  a  worthy  desire 
to  honor  an  honorable  name,  he  will  have  his 
reward. 


Col  well  P.  Byrd, 
Aged  22  Years. 


ORIGIN    OF  THE  BYRD  FAMILY   OF  ACCO- 
MACK COUNTY,  VIRGINIA 


BADITION  says  this  family  traces 
its  settlement  on  Muddy  Creek,  in 
Accomack  county,  Virginia,  back  to 
the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century.  The 
author  of  this  book,  having  very  recently 
made  diligent  search  among  the  old  records  of 
wills  and  deeds  in  the  clerk's  office  at  Acco- 
mack Court  House,  found  the  old  books  so 
mutilated  and  worn  from  age  that  it  was  a  mat- 
ter of  impossibility  to  find  any  accurate  date  of 
their  settlement  in  that  locality;  consequently 
the  writer  is  under  the  necessity  of  following 
tradition  which  he  has  received  from  his  an- 
cestors relative  to  some  facts  about  this  worthy 
family  which  was  transmitted  to  his  father, 
who  was  born  in  1777,  and  was  handed  down 
to  him  by  ancestral  line  in  his  early  life  which 

13 


the  memory  of  more  than  three  score  and  ten 
years  has  enabled  him  to  retain  until  the 
present  time.  These  facts  the  writer  desires 
to  transmit  to  this  generation  and  those  who 
are  to  come.  Believing  that  they  are  as  reli- 
able as  anything  obtainable  of  this  buried  his- 
tory at  this  time,  as  there  is  no  date  setting 
forth  the  positive  time  of  the  settlement  of 
which  we  are  writing,  we  must  be  content 
with  the  best  we  can  obtain.  The  following 
is  the  traditional  record :  That  in  the  early 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century  there  came  a 
man  from  the  Western  Shore  of  Virginia, 
whose  name  was  Nathaniel  JByrd  and  settled 
in  Accomack  county,  Virginia,  on  the  north 
side  of  Muddy  Creek,  about  a  half  mile  from 
its  banks.  The  place  of  the  old  settlement 
the  writer  visited  recently  and  found  there  the 
tomb  of  one  of  his  uncles  bearing  the  date  of 
his  birth,  1769.  The  exact  place  in  Virginia 
from  whence  Nathaniel  Byrd  came  the  writer 
does  not  know,  but  it  was  from  him  and  his 
posterity  that  this  great  Byrd  family,  of  whom 
14 


lie  writes,  has  become  so  numerous,  and  it  is 
quite  evident  from  tradition  that  they  are 
lineal  descendants  of  William  Byrd,  who  came 
from  England  and  settled  in  Virginia  on  the 
James  Eiver  at  Westover  in  1670,  and  in- 
herited the  estate  of  his  uncle  Thomas  Stegg, 
of  London,  a  goldsmith  who,  for  a  while,  re- 
sided in  Virginia.  It  is  of  this  pedigree  that  the 
author  of  this  work  desires  to  give  an  account. 
He  has  learned  from  ancestral  information 
that  the  Nathaniel  Byrd,  who  is  mentioned 
above,  had  two  sons  (who  their  mother  was  the 
writer  does  not  know)  their  names  were  Jacob 
and  Nathaniel. 

The  writer's  mind  leads  him  to  think  that 
his  great-uncle,  Jacob  Byrd,  was  a  bachelor, 
as  there  seems  to  be  no  record  of  his  ever  hav- 
ing a  family.  He  has  heard  his  father  speak 
of  him  as  being  a  young  man.  But  the  other 
son,  Nathaniel,  who  was  the  author's  grand- 
father, married  Naomi  Watson  and  had  issue ; 
hence  this  brief  history  and  genealogy  of  the 
generation  of  the  Byrd  family  of  Muddy  Creek, 
15 


Accomack  county,  Virginia,  from  the  early 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century  on  down  to  the 
beginning  of  1907. 

The  children  of  Nathaniel  Byrd  and  Naomi 
(Watson)  Byrd,  his  wife,  are  as  follows  (dates 
of  their  births  in  most  part  unknown) :  Major 
Byrd,  first  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Naomi  Byrd, 
was  born  (date  of  birth  unknown),  and  mar- 
ried his  cousin  Nancy  Watson  (date  of  mar- 
riage not  known).    They  had  issue. 

Selby,  the  second  son,  married  Hester  Wes- 
sells.  To  them  were  born  two  sons  and  one 
daughter. 

Bebecca,  the  oldest  daughter  of  Nathaniel 
Byrd  and  Naomi,  his  wife,  married  John 
Bloxom.    They  had  issue — three  sons. 

Elizabeth,  second  daughter,  married  Little- 
ton Trader.  They  had  issue,  a  son  and  two 
daughters. 

Parker  Byrd,  third  son  of  Nathaniel  Byrd 
and  Naomi  Byrd,  was  born  May  18th,  1769, 
and  died  October  18th,  1820. 

Naomi  Byrd,  third  daughter  of  Nathaniel 
16 


Nathaniel  J.  Byrd 
Odessa,  Mo. 


and  Naomi  Byrd,  his  wife,  married  Southy 
Northam.    They  had  issue. 

Nathaniel,  the  fourth  son  (date  of  birth  not 
known),  died  a  young  man. 

Johannas  Byrd,  father  of  the  author  of  this 
work  and  fifth  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Naomi 
Byrd,  was  born  December  2d,  1777,  and  died 
September  8th,  1853.  He  married  Margaret 
Kelly  (date  of  marriage  unknown).  They 
had  issue — two  sons  and  one  daughter.  Polit- 
ically he  was  a  Whig.  He  thought  it  an 
honor  to  belong  to  the  party  which  for  seven 
years  gave  its  life  and  struggles  to  obtain  their 
national  liberty.  He  served  in  the  war  of 
1812  and  was  true  to  his  party  until  death 
claimed  him.  He  was  a  Baptist  and  died  in 
the  hope  of  his  future  reward. 

Bachel,  the  fourth  and  youngest  daughter, 
married  Jacob  Kelly,  died  young  and  left  one 
son — William  Kelly. 

Daniel  T.  Byrd,  the  youngest  child,  son  of 
Nathaniel  Byrd  and  Naomi  (Watson)  Byrd, 
was  born  at  Muddy  Creek,  Accomack  county, 
17 


Virginia,  October  30th,  1785,  and  died  at  the 
old  homestead  March  30th,  1846.  He  was  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Baptist  church.  In 
politics  he  was  a  Whig  and  adhered  to  his 
principles  strenuously.  He  married  Nancy 
Gillespie  (date  of  marriage  not  known).  They 
had  issue — a  son  and  daughter. 

The  author  of  this  work,  having  made  a 
record  of  the  origin  of  this  worthy  family  as 
far  back  as  he  has  any  information  of  their 
worthy  ancestry  and  numerous  descendants, 
desires  now  to  make  a  record  of  the  genealogy 
of  the  generations  that  have  followed  them. 
And  this  is  the  genealogy  from  the  third  gen- 
eration of  the  first  settlers  at  Muddy  Creek 
down  to  the  present  time. 

Tabitha,  the  first  child,  and  daughter  of 
Major  Byrd  and  Nancy  (Watson)  Byrd,  was 
born  (date  of  birth  unknown).  She  married 
Israel  Trader  (date  of  marriage  not  known). 
They  had  issue  —  two  children.  Edward 
Trader,  their  only  son,  married  a  Miss  Under- 
bill and  moved  away.  I  have  no  further 
18 


note  of  him.  Elizabeth,  their  only  daughter, 
married  Eichard  Kelly  (date  of  marriage  not 
known).  To  them  were  born  three  children — 
Tabitha,  John  and  Eichard  (date  of  their  birth 
not  known).  Mr.  Kelly  is  dead.  Mrs.  Kelly 
is  living  and  resides  with  her  son,  Eichard 
Kelly. 

I  have  no  dates  of  Major  and  Nancy  Byrd's 
family ;  what  I  write  about  them  is  from  per- 
sonal knowledge  of  them.  They  had  seven 
other  children,  making  their  number  eight. 

Nancy,  the  second  daughter  of  Major  and 
Nancy  Byrd,  married  George  Northam  a 
Baptist  preacher,  and  moved  to  Middlesex 
county,  Virginia,  where  she  lived  and  died  at 
an  advanced  age.  The  writer  knew  two  of 
their  children — Deborah,  daughter  and  George, 
their  son,  who  was  also  a  Baptist  preacher. 

Sally  Byrd,  third  daughter  of  Major  Byrd 
and  Nancy,  his  wife,  married  Edmund  Nor- 
tham,  brother  of  George,  and  moved  to  Ur- 
banna,  Middlesex  county,  Virginia.  Four 
children  were  the  result  of  their  union.  Annie, 
19 


the  oldest  daughter  of  Edmund  and  Sally 
(Byrd)  Northam,  married  John  Anthon,  a 
lumber  dealer,  who  resided  for  a  while  in  Bal- 
timore. Jane,  the  second  daughter,  married 
Lewis  Bristow  of  Urbanna,  Va.,  in  1847, 
and  went  from  Baltimore  to  Urbanna  to  live. 
Sally,  the  youngest  daughter,  and  Edmund, 
the  son  of  Edmund  and  Sally  Northam,  the 
writer  cannot  now  make  any  note  of,  except 
that  they  lived  in  Baltimore  in  1847. 

Margaret,  the  fourth  daughter  of  Major  and 
Nancy  Byrd,  married  Thomas  Kelly.  Five 
children  were  the  result  of  their  union  — 
Amanda,  first  daughter,  born  January  2d, 
1809.  Second  child,  son  Samuel  (date  of  birth 
not  known),  died  January,  1845.  Third  child, 
Thomas  (date  of  birth  unknown) .  Margaret, 
the  second  daughter  of  Thomas  Kelly  and 
Margaret  (Byrd)  Kelly,  married  John  Nelson. 
He  was  a  carpenter.  They  lived  in  Druminond- 
town,  Virginia,  and  died  there  (dates  all  un- 
known). They  had  issue.  Their  children 
live  at  the  place  of  their  birth.    The  writer 

20 


does  not  know  their  names.  Martin  Kelly, 
the  youngest  son  of  Thomas  and  Margaret 
Kelly,  lived  with  his  mother  until  her  death, 
January,  1855.  He  married  Miss  Lizzie  Gibb, 
and  died  in  the  fall  of  1880,  without  issue. 

Henrietta,  fifth  daughter  of  Major  Byrd  and 
Nancy,  his  wife,  married  Bennet  Byrd.  They 
had  issue — Elizabeth  and  Benjamin,  both  dead. 
Major,  Jr.,  Harriet  and  Nathaniel,  the  three 
youngest  of  the  family,  all  died  childless. 

Custis  Walter  Byrd,  first  son  of  Selby  Byrd 
and  Hester  (Wessells)  Byrd,  was  born  at 
Muddy  Creek,  Accomack  county,  Virginia, 
August  3d,  1794.  He  married  Keziah  Taylor, 
daughter  of  Shadrack  and  Nancy  Taylor,  of 
Sandy  Branch,  Accomack  county,  Virginia 
(date  of  marriage  unknown).  Two  children 
was  the  result  of  their  union.  Colmore  E. 
Byrd,  only  son  of  Custis  W .  Byrd  and  Keziah 
(Taylor)  Byrd,  was  born  at  Muddy  Creek, 
Virginia,  October  18th,  1817.  When  he  was 
quite  young  he  went  to  Baltimore  and  served 
a  long  apprenticeship  at  the  blacksmith  trade 

21 


and  became  a  first-class  mechanic  in  that 
branch  of  industry,  and,  when  arrived  at 
manhood,  he  married  Miss  Mary  Sheldon,  the 
daughter  of  James  and  Sarah  Barnes  Sheldon, 
of  Baltimore,  September  19th,  1839.  She  was 
born  in  Baltimore,  September  12th,  1818. 
The  result  of  their  union  was  four  children, 
all  of  whom  were  born  in  Baltimore. 

James  Edward  Byrd,  only  son  of  Colmore 
E.  and  Mary  (Sheldon)  Byrd,  was  born  Sep- 
tember 1st,  1840.  He  was  educated  at  the 
public  schools  and  Newton  University  at  Bal- 
timore. He  removed  to  Accomack  county, 
Virginia,  when  a  youth  and  was  employed  for 
some  time  as  a  recorder  in  the  clerk's  office  of 
the  county  court  under  Mr.  John  W.  Gillett, 
clerk  of  the  court.  He  served  nearly  four 
years  in  the  Confederate  army;  was  the  color- 
bearer  of  that  gallant  battalion  of  Virginia  of 
Bhode's  Brigade,  D.  H.  Hill's  Division,  which 
at  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines,  stormed  with  the 
bayonet  the  Federal  redoubt  in  front  of  the 
Square  house  on  the  south  side  of  the  Williams- 
22 


James  E.  Byrd, 
Baltimore,  Md.,  1907. 


James  E.  Byrd, 
Of  Confederate  Army,  1862. 


burg  pike,  was  the  first  to  leap  into  the  ditch  and 
climbing  up  the  muddy  embankment  on  his 
hands  and  knees,  waved  the  colors  of  the  bat- 
talion over  the  ten  brass  12  pound  guns  of  the 
celebrated  Empire  Battery  of  New  York. 
Four  of  his  color  guards,  stalwart  mountaineers 
from  the  peaks  of  Otter  falling,  killed  and 
wounded,  around  him.  The  commanding 
officer,  Captain  Otey  of  Liberty,  Virginia,  died 
at  his  side,  his  last  words  :  ' '  Byrd,  my  boy, 
rally  the  men."  In  this  charge  his  cousin, 
Thomas  C.  Kelly,  was  shot  through  the  left  lung 
in  two  places  and  lay  on  the  field  of  battle  all 
night.  The  awful  loss  of  the  battalion  was 
such  that  but  thirty-two  men,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Capt.  John  E.  Bagby,  of  King  and 
Queen  county,  were  with  the  colors  at  night. 
It  was  to  the  remnant  of  the  battalion  and  the 
guns  captured  that  Jefferson  Davis  and  Gen. 
R.  E.  Lee  rode  up  to  as  the  battle  ceased  at 
dark.  He  was,  later,  color-bearer  of  the  3d 
Virginia  Infantry,  Wise's  Brigade 5  then  ex- 
changed into  the  cavalry  service,  and  in  the 
23 


campaign  of  1864  was  first  Sergeant  of  Com- 
pany C,  24,  5th  Virginia  Cavalry,  General 
Gray's  Brigade,  and  rode  at  the  head  of  the 
charging  squadron  of  that  gallant  regiment.  In 
the  fall  and  winter  of  1864,  he  scouted  for  Gen- 
eral Longstreet  and  General  Gray  and  won 
high  commendation  for  his  services. 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  in  1865,  he  returned 
to  his  native  home,  Baltimore,  and  engaged 
in  the  steamboat  business  and  still  pursues 
that  manner  of  occupation. 

On  the  28th  day  of  October,  1869,  he  mar- 
ried Catherine  A.  Fletcher,  the  daughter  of 
Wm.  G.  and  Esther  A.  Fletcher,  of  Baltimore. 
He  has  been  for  a  number  of  years  employed 
in  business  with  the  Old  Bay  Line  Steamboat 
Company  of  Baltimore,  and  is  at  this  time 
agent  and  cashier  for  the  same.  They  live  in 
Baltimore,  1724  Bolton  street.  They  have 
issue — Fletcher  Lee  Byrd,  born  July  17th, 
1872,  who  is  freight  soliciting  agent  for  the 
Baltimore  Steamboat  Company.  Walter  Cus- 
tis  Byrd,  born  July  11th,  1879,  is  a  clerk  with 
24 


the  B.  &  O.  E.  E.  Co.  Xorral  Edgar  Byrd, 
the  third  and  youngest  son  of  James  Edward 
and  Catherine  A.  (Fletcher)  Byrd,  was  born 
Xovember  7th,  1882.  He  is  a  medical  student. 
All  of  James  E.  Byrd's  sons  were  born  in 
Baltimore. 

Sarah  K.  Byrd,  oldest  daughter  of  Colmore 
E.  Byrd  and  Mary,  his  wife,  was  born  in  Bal- 
timore, March  5th,  1842,  and  married  Dr.  W. 
J.  H.  Wallop  of  Accomack  county,  Virginia, 
Xovember  7th,  1861,  and  died  in  Horntown, 
Ya.,  July  17th,  1885.  She  left  four  chil- 
dren— John  Douglas  Wallop,  Mary  Byrd  Wal- 
lop, Sallie  Holland  Wallop,  and  Lallie,  the 
youngest  daughter,  who  lived  with  her  uncle 
in  Baltimore.  She  is  married  and  now  resides 
in  Baltimore  county.  Her  husband  is  a 
lawyer ;  I  do  not  know  the  name.  All  of  Dr. 
Wallop's  children  were  born  at  Horntown, 
Virginia. 

Mary  Ann  Byrd,  second  daughter  of  Col- 
more E.  and  Mary  Byrd,  was  born  in  Balti- 
more, August  4th,  1846.   She  married  George 

25 


D.  Evans,  a  farmer  in  Horntown,  Virginia, 
June  6th,  1877.  They  have  issue  —  Essie 
Evans,  daughter  (date  of  birth  not  known). 
Elizabeth  Jane  Byrd,  youngest  daughter  of 
Colmore  E.  Byrd  and  Mary  Byrd,  was  born 
February  26th,  1849.  She  is  unmarried  and 
lives  with  her  brother  in  Baltimore. 

Colmore  E.  Byrd  died  in  Baltimore,  Sep- 
tember 5th,  1890.  Mary  (Sheldon)  Byrd,  his 
wife,  who  preceded  him  in  death  about  twenty 
years,  died  July  2d,  1867. 

Hester  Ann  Byrd,  the  only  daughter  of 
Custis  W.  Byrd  and  Keziah  (Taylor)  Byrd, 
was  born  at  Muddy  Creek,  February  2d,  1817. 
She  was  left  motherless  almost  from  infancy. 
She  grew  up  under  the  tender  care  of  her 
grandmother,  Nancy  Taylor.  She  was  mar- 
ried to  Elijah  Kelly,  November  8th,  1834. 
Her  husband,  Elijah  Kelly,  was  born  Decem- 
ber 5th,  1807.  They  had  issue— Thomas  C. 
Kelly,  oldest  son  of  Elijah  Kelly  and  Hester 
Ann  (Byrd)  Kelly,  was  born  August  20th, 
1840.  He  enlisted  in  Company  K,  34th  Yir 
26 


ginia  Eegiment  Infantry,  Wise's  Brigade, 
Bushrod  Johson's  Division,  Longstreet's 
Corps,  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  April 
22d,  1861 ;  was  twice  wounded  at  the  battle  of 
Seven  Pines  and  Fair  Oaks  Station  on  York 
Eiver  and  Eichmond  Eailroad,  on  May  31st, 
1862.  He  lingered  with  these  wounds  until 
December  18th,  1862,  when  he  returned  to  his 
command  and  served  to  the  end  of  the  war, 
surrendering  with  Gen.  Eobert  E.  Lee  at 
Appomattox  Court  House  on  April  13th,  1865. 

Elijah  Kelly  and  his  wife  Hester  Ann  (Byrd) 
Kelly,  had  another  son,  Elijah  Kelly,  Jr., 
(date  of  his  birth  unknown) .   He  went  West. 

Elijah  Kelly,  Sr.,  and  his  good  wife  lived 
a  quiet  life  on  their  farm  near  Hallwood  from 
the  time  of  their  marriage  until  their  death  at 
a  ripe  old  age.  Mr.  Kelly  died  June  15th, 
1892.  His  wife  preceded  him  in  death  seven 
years,  dying  June  the  8th,  1885.  Their  son, 
Thomas  C.  Kelly,  lives  in  Hallwood,  Acco- 
mack county,  Virginia,  and  is  Commissioner 
of  Eevenue. 

27 


Custis  W.  Byrd  had  other  children  by  his 
second  marriage  with  Mary  Fisher,  daughter 
of  Fairfax  and  Sallie  Fisher.  John  Washing- 
ton Custis  Byrd,  oldest  son  of  Custis  W.  Byrd 
and  Mary  (Fisher)  Byrd,  was  born  at  Muddy 
Creek,  Accomack  county,  Virginia,  May  7th, 
1826.  He  went  to  Baltimore  about  the  year 
1848  or  1849,  and  was  employed  in  the  agri- 
cultural implement  manufacturing  establish- 
ment of  Sinclair  &  Co. ,  on  Light  street,  near 
Lombard.  Later  on  in  life  he  married  and 
settled  in  Baltimore  and  engaged  in  the  wood 
and  coal  business,  and  continued  that  business 
until  his  failing  health  compelled  him  to  retire 
from  active  work  and  finally  resulted  in  his 
death  on  March  1st,  1901.  He  had  issue. 
John  W.  Byrd,  first  son,  who  is  a  coal 
dealer  in  Baltimore ;  and  Charles  W.  Byrd,  his 
second  son,  who  also  lives  in  Baltimore.  His 
widow  survives  him  and  resides  in  South 
Baltimore. 

Sylvester  Byrd,  second  son  of  Custis  W. 
Byrd  and  Mary,  his  wife,  was  born  in  1828. 

28 


He  was  a  carpenter  and  unmarried,  and  died 
March  7th,  1901.  in  the  73d  year  of  his  age. 
Priscella  Byrd.  born  1827,  married  Abednego 
Taylor,  and  died  October  16th.  1SS9.  Mary 
E.  C.  Byrd,  born  1830,  married  James  Miles, 
of  Accomack  county,  Virginia,  and  died 
September  28th,  1859.  Odien  J.  Byrd, 
third  son  of  Custis  W.  and  Mary  Byrd,  was 
born  June  12th,  1832.  He  is  now  in  the  75th 
year  of  his  age.  He  is  a  carpenter  by  trade, 
but  owing  to  infirmities  of  age  and  failing 
health  has  retired  from  active  life.  He  mar- 
ried Allameda  Parker,  June  3d,  1858, 
daughter  of  Mr.  Parker  and  Mary  Jane 
Parker,  of  Baltimore. 

The  children  of  Odien  J.  Byrd  and  Alla- 
meda (Parker)  Byrd  are:  William  Odien 
Byrd,  born  1860;  second  child,  Cora  Mary, 
born  1863;  the  third  child,  Harry  Ambrose, 
born  1865;  the  fourth  child.  Sallie  Littlefield 
Byrd.  born  1870;  the  fifth  child,  James 
Milton  Byrd,  born  1881.  Teda  Allameda, 
youngest  child  of  Odien  J.  and  Allameda 
29 


(Parker)  Byrd,  was  born  1888.  Odien  J. 
Byrd's  wife  died  the  latter  part  of  1905.  He 
now  resides  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  William 
Hubbard,  302  East  Randall  street,  Baltimore, 
Md.  William  A.  Byrd,  born  1834,  lives  in 
Harford  county,  Maryland. 

Sallie  Custis  Stoakly  Byrd,  the  youngest 
child  of  Custis  W.  and  Mary  (Fisher)  Byrd, 
was  born  in  Accomack  county,  Virginia, 
1836.  She  married  Mr.  Littlefield,  of  Balti- 
more (date  of  marriage  not  known),  and  died 
July  24th,  1868. 

The  children  of  Sallie  C.  S.  (Byrd)  Little- 
field  are:  A.  S.  Littlefield,  of  Colorado 
Springs,  Col. ;  Mollie  Littlefield,  of  Baltimore, 
Md.  j  Emma  (Littlefield)  Watson,  of  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  and  Blanch  (Littlefield)  North, 
of  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Colmore  S.  Byrd,  second  son  of  Selby  Byrd 
and  Hester  Byrd,  his  wife,  was  born  April 
3d,  1796.  The  writer  knew  him  well.  He 
was  a  good  man,  and  was  of  excellent  service 
to  his  neighbors.  If  any  were  sick  or  in 
30 


sorrow  about  their  spiritual  condition,  he 
was  sent  for  to  impart  comfort  and  give 
spiritual  advice.  He  was  a  deacon  in  the 
Baptist  church  and  was  liberal  and  charitable 
toward  those  who  differed  from  him  in  their 
religious  views,  He  wanted  everybody  to 
worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  their 
own  consciences.  He  was  a  model  man  and 
every  one  that  knew  him  loved  "Colly"  Byrd, 
as  he  was  called. 

He  married  Hetty  Taylor,  February  3d, 
1820.  They  lived  at  Muddy  Creek,  Acco- 
mack county,  Ya.,  until  the  time  of  his 
death,  January,  1845.  His  widow  still  re- 
mained on  their  farm  several  years  after  his 
death.  Seven  children  were  the  result  of 
their  union.  First,  Matilda  W.,  born  April 
1st,  1821,  and  died  in  infancy.  The  second 
child,  William  S.  Byrd,  oldest  son  of  Col- 
more  S.  Byrd  and  Hetty  (Taylor)  Byrd,  was 
born  at  Muddy  Creek,  June  7th,  1822.  He 
was  educated  in  the  ordinary  country  school 
of  his  day  obtaining  a  fair  business  education 
31 


and  being  possessed  with  a  business  capacity 
in  early  life  he  entered  into  the  mercantile 
trade  and  was  prosperous.  In  December, 
1846,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Bloxom,  of 
New  Church,  Ya.  To  them  were  born  one 
child,  William  F.  Byrd  (date  of  birth  un- 
known), he  lives  in  Norfolk,  Ya. 

William  S.  Byrd's  first  wife  died  soon  after 
the  birth  of  their  son,  William  F.  (I  do  not 
know  the  date  of  her  death. )  In  due  course 
of  time  he  was  married  to  his  second  wife,  who 
was  Miss  Mollie  Broughton,  of  Temperance- 
ville,  Ya.,  the  result  of  this  union  was  two 
children,  daughter  and  son.  Fannie,  the 
first  child,  married  and  died,  (I  do  not  know 
the  date  of  her  marriage  or  death. )  Milton  J. , 
the  son,  is  married  and  doing  business  in 
Baltimore  and  resides  there.  William  S.  Byrd 
still  continued  his  business  at  Oak  Hall, 
Accomack  county,  Ya.,  with  moderate  suc- 
cess for  several  years  until  advanced  age  and 
failing  health  caused  him  to  retire  and  move 
to  Baltimore,  where  he  died  August  14th, 
32 


1888.  His  widow  still  survives  him  and 
lives  with  her  sou  in  Baltimore. 

Abednego,  second  son  of  Colmore  S.  and 
Hetty  Byrd,  was  born  February  27th,  1825, 
and  died  August  9th,  1843.  Solomon  C, 
third  son,  born  June  19th,  1827,  died  August 
12th,  1828. 

Burnata,  second  daughter,  born  January 
24th,  1829,  and  died  in  infancy.  Ausemos  S. 
Byrd,  fourth  son  of  Colmore  S.  Byrd  and 
Hetty,  his  wife,  was  born  October  26th,  1830. 
He  was  educated  in  the  country  schools  and 
obtained  a  good  business  education.  When 
quite  young  he  engaged  in  the  mercantile 
business,  which  he  pursued  all  his  life.  AYhen 
a  young  man  he  married  Miss  Ellen  S.  James, 
a  young  lady  of  culture  and  excellent  refine- 
ment (date  of  marriage  not  known).  They 
lived  in  Mappsville,  Accomack  county,  Ya. 
He  continued  business  there  until  his  death. 
The  result  of  their  marriage  was  four  chil- 
dren— Emma,  Ida,  Upshur  and  Xellie  (date 
of  their  births  not  known).  Emma,  first 
33 


daughter  of  Ausemos  S.  and  Ellen  S.  (James) 
Byrd,  married  Nehemiah  Nock,  of  the  noted 
Nock  family  of  Sea  Side,  Ya.  They  have  six 
children.  Their  names  are  Medora,  Josie, 
Hattie,  Ernest,  Mildred  and  Constance.  Ida, 
the  second  daughter  of  A.  S.  and  Ellen  S, 
Byrd,  married  Eugene  Mason  (date  of  mar- 
riage unknown) .  They  have  two  children — 
Ethel  and  Marva.  Upshur  Byrd,  the  only 
son  of  Ausemos  S.  and  Ellen  S.  Byrd,  has  one 
son,  named  Marion.  Nellie,  youngest  child 
of  Ausemos  S.  Byrd  and  Ellen  S.  Byrd,  I 
have  no  note  of.  Henry  S.,  the  fifth  son  of 
Colmore  S.  and  Hetty  Byrd,  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 7th,  1834,  and  died  in  infancy. 

Albert  F.  Byrd,  sixth  son  of  Colmore  S. 
Byrd  and  Hetty,  his  wife,  was  born  at  Muddy 
Creek,  June  30th,  1835.  He  received  a  fair 
country  education  in  the  days  of  his  boyhood 
and  youth.  He  adapted  himself  to  farming 
and  later  on  became  a  practical  farmer. 
On  April  27th,  1858,  he  married  Miss 
Charlotte  E.  Matthews,  a  lady  of  mild  disposi- 
34 


tion  and  fine  attainments,  the  daughter  of 
Stoakly  and  Susan  (Mapp)  Matthews  of  Teni- 
peranceville,  Ya.  Together  with  his  farming 
interests,  he  devoted  a  part  of  his  time  to  the 
fire  and  life  insurance  agency.  He  was  a  pro- 
minent member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South,  as  were  all  his  brothers.  He 
and  his  good  wife  are  both  dead  and  gone  to 
their  rest.  They  left  four  sons,  who  fill  pro- 
minent business  positions  in  life.  Lynn  0. 
Byrd,  their  first  son,  was  born  March  19th, 
1859,  and  preceded  his  father  in  death  about 
three  months.  He  married  Miss  Ella  McCul- 
lough,  of  Port  Deposit  (date  of  marriage  un- 
known) and  was  engaged  in  the  drug  busi- 
ness in  that  city  from  his  youth  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  July,  1901. 
and  left  his  widow  a  nice  estate. 

Clyde  P.  Byrd,  the  second  son,  was  born 
June  9th,  1861.  He  married  Miss  Ada  Baily, 
of  Baltimore  (date  of  marriage  not  known). 
Heis  engaged  in  the  brokerage  business  in 
Baltimore  and  lives  at  Catonsville,  Md. 
35 


They  have  four  children.  I  do  not  know  the 
dates  of  their  birth.  Their  names  are  Caryl, 
Clyde  Wilson,  Lynn  C.  and  Evelyn  Byrd. 

Colinore  Ernest  Byrd,  the  third  son  of  Albert 
F.  and  Charlotte  E.  Byrd,  was  born  January 
22d,  1868.  He  devoted  a  few  years  in  his 
early  manhood  to  teaching  school  in  his 
native  town,  Temperanceville,  Va.  In  1895 
he  engaged  in  business  with  the  wholesale 
drug  firm  of  James  Baily  &  Son,  in  Baltimore. 
On  the  26th  day  of  June,  1896,  he  married 
Miss  Mary  Virginia  Gillespie,  the  daughter  of 
Albert  J.  and  Catherine  (Dix)  Gillespie,  of 
Temperanceville,  Accomack  county,  Va.  They 
have  one  child,  only  daughter,  Evelyn  Louise 
Byrd,  born  at  Temperanceville,  Va. ,  Septem- 
ber 14th,  1899.  He  coDtinued  his  business  in 
Baltimore  about  11  years,  during  which  time 
he  purchased  a  nice  farm,  a  suburban  home 
at  Pocomoke  City  and  moved  with  his  family 
from  their  home  in  Virginia  to  his  new  pur- 
chase; and  in  1906  he  retired  from  the  drug  busi- 
ness and  accepted  the  position  of  cashier  of  the 

36 


r.  Oscar  F.  Byrd, 
Portsmouth,  Va. 


Evelyn  Blanche  Byrd.  Born  July  1st.  1905 
Daughter  of  Dr.  Oscar  Franklin  Byrd 
and  Annie  Blanche  Byrd 


Citizens  National  Bank  of  Pocomoke  City, 
Md.,  and  is  also  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
same.  In  a  personal  matter  the  writer  assumes 
the  privilege  to  say  of  Mr.  Byrd  that  he  is  a 
true  type  of  a  Southern  gentleman,  a  strict 
business  man,  a  consistent  and  prominent 
member  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  church. 

Dr.  Oscar  F.  Byrd,  youngest  son  of  Albert 
F.  Byrd  and  Charlotte  E.  (Matthews)  Byrd, 
was  born  at  Teniperanceville,  Ya.,  March  4th, 
1870.  In  his  early  life  he  applied  himself  to 
study  with  the  view  of  gaining  a  profession, 
and  in  early  manhood  he  entered  the  Dental 
Schools  of  the  University  of  Maryland,  in 
Baltimore:  graduated  there  in  1890,  and  began 
the  practice  of  his  profession  on  November 
20th.  1901.  He  married  Miss  Annie  Blanche 
Eichards,  the  only  daughter  of  J.  James  and 
Hattie  A.  (Brittingham)  Eichards  of  Pocomoke 
City,  Md.  They  live  in  Portsmouth,  Ya., 
where  he  practices  dentistry.  They  have  one 
child,  Evelyn  Byrd,  born  July  1st,  1905. 

Henry  E.  Byrd,  the  only  surviving  and 
37 


youngest  son  of  Colmore  S.  Byrd  and  Hetty 
(Taylor)  Byrd,  was  born  January  29th,  1841. 
He  married  Martha  J.  Matthews,  December 
23d,  1862,  the  daughter  of  George  P.  and 
Martha  Matthews,  both  of  whom  were  promi- 
nent members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  The  children  of  Henry  E.  Byrd  and 
Martha,  his  wife,  are  :  Edith  Lee  Byrd,  eldest 
daughter,  was  born  Nov.  11,  1863  j  Otho 
West  Byrd,  born  October  31st,  1866  ;  Lillian 
Olivia  Byrd,  born  August  4th,  1869,  and  died 
September  24th,  1872.  Lillian  Olivia  Byrd, 
2d,  the  youugest  daughter  of  Henry  E.  and 
Martha  (Matthews)  Byrd,  was  born  October 
21st,  1878. 

I  am  personally  acquainted  with  Henry  E. 
Byrd,  and  will,  by  permission,  mention  some 
personalities  of  him,  characteristic  of  his  early 
business  life.  For  a  number  of  years  he 
divided  his  time  between  farming  and  mer- 
cantile trade,  He  is  quick  and  prompt  in  all  his 
movements  and  of  great  energy.  For  many 
years  a  successful  traveling  salesman  ;  later  in 
38 


life  a  successful  merchant  in  Temperanceville, 
Va.,  up  to  a  disastrous  fire  in  1903,  in  which  he 
lost  most  of  the  savings  of  his  life.  But  he 
and  his  son  Otho,  with  promptness  and  re- 
doubled energy,  rebuilt  and  started  a  success- 
ful business  by  the  help  of  friends,  liberal 
discounts  of  creditors  and  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  of  which  they  both  are  members. 
He  and  his  family  are  all  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  South,  and,  I 
think,  his  politics  are  Democratic,  He  is  also 
a  great  sportsman,  and  is  styled  the  Ximrod  of 
this  great  Byrd  family. 

Enatia  Byrd,  the  only  daughter  of  Selby 
Byrd,  and  Hester  (Wessells)  Byrd,  was  born 
at  Muddy  Creek,  Accomack  county,  Va., 
April  4th,  1799.  She  married  Daniel  Boston, 
of  Shelltown,  Somerset  county,  Md.,  in  Oc- 
tober, 1819,  a  worthy  young  man  and  prosper- 
ous farmer.  She  was  a  lady  of  bright  intellect 
and  fine  attainments  for  usefulness.  She  was 
modest  and  domestic  in  her  manner  of  life, 
kind  and  benevolent  in  her  deeds.  Her 
89 


Christian  character  was  of  a  high  standard. 
In  her  early  life  she  made  a  profession  of 
religion  and  united  with  the  Baptist  church. 
She  magnified  her  profession  by  her  consistent 
and  loving  devotion  to  the  cause  of  her  Lord. 
She  was  prominent  in  the  organization  of  the 
Eehoboth  Baptist  Church  in  Somerset  county, 
Maryland,  and  was  one  of  the  very  few  charter 
members  that  constituted  that  little  church 
about  the  year  1839  or  1840,  of  which  she  was 
a  faithful  supporter,  both  spiritually  and 
financially,  until  her  death,  which  occurred  on 
the  11th  of  June,  1864.  The  church  has 
become  a  great  power  for  good  in  that 
community. 

Mrs.  Boston  and  her  husband  both  lived  to 
a  ripe  old  age  and  were  members  of  the 
Eehoboth  Baptist  Church  at  their  death.  They 
left  one  son,  Solomon  Charles  Boston,  their  only 
child  born  August  23d,  1820.  He  was  trained  to 
farm  life  and  reared  with  the  care  of  devoted 
parents.  He  was  a  model  boy,  judging  from 
the  manner  of  his  manly  and  Christian  life  as 
40 


we  knew  him  later  on.  About  the  age  of 
sixteen  years  he  made  a  profession  of  religion, 
honored  his  profession  by  his  consistent  course 
in  life,  and  united  with  the  Baptist  church  of 
which  his  parents  were  members.  Up  to  this 
time  of  his  life  he  had  made  use  of  the  country 
schools  to  the  best  advantage  he  could  derive 
from  them,  with  the  view  of  a  higher  education 
and  more  permanent  usefulness  in  life.  A. 
about  the  age  of  eighteen  years  he  entered  the 
Seminary  in  Eichmond,  Ya.,  now  Eichmond 
College,  where  he  received  his  ministerial 
education  and  became  a  very  prominent  and 
efficient  preacher  of  the  Baptist  denomination. 
He  began  his  arduous  labors  in  the  gospel 
ministry  quite  young  with  the  one  purpose — 
the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  souls - 
He  married  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Xock  (nee  Mar- 
shall) the  young  widow  of  Mr.  Gillette  Xock, 
a  young  man  of  popular  fame,  about  the  year 
1846  (the  exact  date  of  marriage  is  not  known) . 
She  was  born  near  Oak  Hall,  Accomack 
county,  Ya.,  October  26th,  1822.    She  was  of 

41 


true  Virginian  type,  a  lady  of  high  Christian 
standard  and  was  an  excellent  helpmeet  to  her 
husband.  They  walked  together  in  the  ordi- 
nances and  commandments  of  their  Lord  with 
the  one  object  in  view:  to  declare  the  gospel 
of  the  Son  of  God  to  all  whom  they  could 
reach.  Mr.  Boston  preached  as  missionary  on 
the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland  and  Virginia 
for  several  years,  during  which  time  he  organ- 
ized a  Baptist  church  at  Vienna,  Dorchester 
county,  Md. ,  and  preached  for  his  mother 
church,  at  Rehoboth,  at  the  same  time, 
and  at  different  school  house  stations  in  the 
country.  He  also  preached  in  Northampton 
and  Accomack  counties  a  part  of  the  time 
during  this  period  of  his  life. 

In  1854  he  founded  the  First  Baptist  Church 
of  Pocomoke  City,  and  was  its  first  pastor,  in 
the  latter  part  of  1857.  He  resigned  his  pas- 
torate there  and  accepted  a  call  to  the  Second 
Baptist  Church,  in  Petersburg,  Va.,  and 
having  finished  his  work  there  in  1861,  he 
accepted  a  call  to  the  Farmville  Baptist 

42 


Church,  in  Virginia.  During  his  stay  there 
the  war  between  the  States  became  so  trouble- 
some that  he  resigned  his  charge  in  1862,  and 
ventured,  with  his  wife  and  son,  then  a  lad, 
to  run  the  blockade  across  the  Chesapeake 
Bay  in  a  canoe,  and  succeeded  in  reaching 
the  home  of  his  parents  in  Somerset  county, 
Maryland,  who  were  then  very  feeble  and  re- 
mained with  them  sometime.  Subsequently 
he  accepted  a  call  to  Lee  Street  Baptist 
Church,  in  Baltimore.  During  his  pastorate 
there  his  wife  died,  on  the  15th  day  of  April, 
1869.  Soon  after  the  death  of  his  wife  he  re- 
signed his  charge  in  Baltimore  and  accepted 
a  call  in  1870  to  the  Baptist  church  in  French- 
town,  X.  J.  In  1872  he  married  his  second 
wife — Miss  Mary  E.  Britton,  of  that  town,  a 
very  accomplished  lady,  and  moved  to  Brew- 
ington,  King  and  Queen  county,  Va.,  and 
served  the  church  there  for  several  years; 
then  returned  to  Eastern  Shore  again  and  was 
pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Onancock, 
Accomack  county,  Ya.,  until  the  latter  part 
43 


of  1883,  when  he  accepted  a  call  to  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Pocomoke  City,  his  former 
charge,  and  continued  there  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  15th  day  of  June, 
1887,  in  the  68th  year  of  his  age.  Thus  the 
Eev.  Solomon  Charles  Boston  finished  his  life 
work  near  the  place  where  he  began  it.  His 
children  are  as  follows: 

His  son  Francis  E.  Boston,  the  only  child 
of  his  first  marriage  with  Mrs.  Mary  Ann 
Nock,  was  born  at  Shelltown,  Somerset 
county,  Md.,  December  29th,  1847.  In  his 
boyhood  he  was  placed  in  good  schools  at 
different  localities  where  his  father  was  called 
to  preach.  With  great  care  his  parents  en- 
deavored to  prepare  him  for  a  useful  life.  I 
think  he  finished  his  preparation  in  the  town 
of  Princess  Anne,  Somerset  county,  Md.,  for 
a  college  course,  and  in  early  life  he  entered 
the  Columbian  College  in  Washington,  D.  C, 
where  he  received  his  ministerial  education 
and  graduated  there  with  distinction  and 
was  set  apart  to  the  gospel  ministry  and 

44 


Rev.  Solomon  C.  Boston 
Somerset  Co.,  Md. 


preached  in  many  different  places  in  Virginia 
and  Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  is  now  the  Bev.  F.  R. 
Boston,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church 
at  Warrington,  Ya.  About  the  year  1875  he 
married  Miss  Ann  Schoolfield,  of  Peters- 
burg, Va.,  and  had  issue:  Mela  May  Boston, 
only  daughter  of  Bev.  F.  B.  Boston,  and  Ann 
(Schoolfield)  Boston,  who  married  Edward 
Spillman  Turner,  a  lawyer  in  Warrington, 
Fauquier  county,  Ya.  (date  of  marriage  not 
known).  They  have  issue:  Anne  Schoolfield 
Turner  and  Ellen  Lovell  Turner.  Chase 
Schoolfield  Boston,  the  only  son  of  Bev. 
F.  B.  Boston  and  Ann  Boston,  his  wife,  is  a 
prosperous  druggist  in  Washington,  D.  C. 
The  Bev.  Solomon  C.  Boston  had  other 
children  by  his  second  marriage  with  Miss 
Mary  E.  Britton,  of  New  Jersey.  Their 
names  are,  Mr.  Charles  Daniel  Boston,  of 
Baltimore,  Md.,  and  Miss  Belle  Boston,  of 
Fauquier  county,  Virginia.  The  Bev.  Solo- 
mon C.  Boston,  his  children,  grandchildren 
and  great  grandchildren  are  all  descendants 


of  the  Byrd  family  who  first  settled  in  Acco- 
mack county,  Virginia,  in  the  early  part  of 
1700,  on  the  mother's  side  of  the  family, 
Mrs.  Enatia  (Byrd)  Boston,  who  was  born  at 
Muddy  Creek,  Ya.,  April  4th,  1799,  and  died 
at  her  home  near  Shelltown,  Somerset  county, 
Md.,  June  11th,  1864. 

Rebecca  Byrd,  the  oldest  daughter  of 
Nathaniel  and  Naomi  (Watson)  Byrd,  mar- 
ried John  Bioxom  (date  of  marriage  not 
known).  They  had  issue,  their  children 
being  as  follows:  Woodman  Bioxom,  the 
oldest  son  of  John  and  Bebecca  (Byrd) 
Bioxom,  was  born  in  Accomack  county, 
Virginia  (date  of  birth  unknown).  He 
was  a  blacksmith,  served  his  apprenticeship 
in  his  native  county,  and  when  a  young  man 
he  went  to  Philadelphia,  married  and  re- 
mained there  until  his  death.  He  had  issue, 
three  children — Woodman,  Ann  and  Rebecca, 
all  of  Philadelphia,  where  I  visited  them  in 
1853.  John  Bioxom,  the  second  son,  also  went 
to  Philadelphia  when  a  young  man  and  married 
46 


a  lady  frora  Smyrna,  Del.  I  do  not  remember  her 
name  nor  the  date  of  marriage.  He  died  young 
and  left  one  son,  John  Bloxom.  I  have  no 
further  trace  of  him.  Selby,  the  third  and 
youngest  son  of  John  and  Eebecca  (Byrd) 
Bloxom,  married  Polly  Copes,  of  Accomack 
county,  Virginia.  I  am  not  certain  as  to  his 
occupation,  but  I  think  he  was  a  farmer. 
They  had  issue,  three  daughters — Elizabeth, 
Mary  and  Rebecca.  Mary  married  a  Mr. 
Jacobs,  a  tailor  by  trade.  They  lived  in 
Accomack  county,  Virginia  (after  the  death 
of  their  father)  with  their  mother  until  about 
1845,  then  moved  to  New  York.  I  met  them 
in  Philadelphia  in  1853,  while  they  were 
there  on  a  visit  to  relatives,  and  have  not 
heard  from  them  since. 

Elizabeth  Byrd,  the  second  daughter  of 
Xathaniel  and  Xaomi  Byrd,  was  born  at 
Muddy  Creek,  Va.,  about  the  year  1667 
(exact  date  of  birth  not  known) .  She  mar- 
ried Littleton  Trader  (date  of  marriage  un- 
known).   They  had  issue,  three  children — 

47 


Samuel,  Tabitha  and  Ann.  Samuel  married 
and  lived  between  Accomack  county,  Vir- 
ginia, and  Worcester  county,  Maryland,  and 
had  issue,  five  sons — Samuel,  Littleton^ 
William,  Edward  and  James,  and  one  daugh- 
ter, Ann,  who  married  a  man  in  Philadelphia 
named  Wood,  and  died  there,  leaving  one 
son,  William  Wood.  I  do  not  know  any- 
thing more  of  them. 

Selby  Byrd,  the  oldest  son  of  Parker  Byrd 
and  Keziah  (Gillespie)  Byrd,  was  born  De- 
cember 23d,  1807.  He  grew  up  with  his  par- 
ents on  the  farm  at  Muddy  Creek.  At  the 
close  of  his  school  days  his  mind  was  natur- 
ally turned  to  some  occupation  in  life  by 
which  he  might  secure  a  livelihood.  His 
choice  of  business  inclined  him  to  the  water 
and  very  early  in  life  he  took  to  a  commer- 
cial line  of  trade  and  soon  became  a  skillful 
officer  and  commander  of  a  grain  and  produce 
schooner  which  plied  between  Muddy  Creek 
and  Baltimore  for  several  years,  and  traded  in 
the  commodities  of  that  vicinity. 

48 


He  married  Amanda  Kelley,  February  2d, 
1839,  and  continued  in  his  chosen  business  a 
few  years  after  his  marriage,  when  he  aban- 
doned his  commercial  life  and  took  to  farming, 
in  which  he  continued  with  moderate  success 
until  the  close  of  the  war  between  the  States. 
About  that  time  he  began  a  successful  and 
prosperous  general  merchandise  business  by 
which  he  accumulated  a  nice  estate  and  contin- 
ued in  that  business  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  April  3d,  1880.  His  wife,  Aman- 
da Byrd,  preceded  him  in  death  a  little  more 
than  a  year,  having  died  March  7th,  1879. 
Their  children  are  :  Clarissa  Byrd,  the  first 
daughter  of  Selby  and  Amanda  (Kelley)  Byrd 
was  born  January  7th,  1840.  She  married 
Major  Bloxom  (date  of  marriage  not  known) 
and  died  August  4th,  1878. 

Harriet  D.  Byrd,  second  daughter,  was  born 
September  30th,  1842.  Mary  F.  Byrd,  third 
daughter,  was  born  April  5th,  1845.  Thomas 
S.  Byrd,  the  only  son  of  Selby  Byrd  and 
Amanda,  his  wife,  was  born  March  2d,  1847, 

49 


and  died  April  6th,  1895.  His  children  are: 
first,  E.  Boy,  born  March  16th,  1878;  second, 
Edward  M.,  born  July  13th,  1883;  third, 
Annie  A.,  born  November  29th,  1884;  fourth, 
E.  Euth,  born  October  27th,  1888;  fifth, 
Thomas  S.,  the  youngest  child,  was  born 
March  23d,  1895,  and  died  March  8th,  1901. 

Margaret  J.  Byrd,  the  youngest  child  of 
Selby  and  Amanda  Byrd,  was  born  September 
15th,  1852,  and  was  married  to  William  E. 
Byrd,  of  Accomack  county,  Virginia,  Decem- 
ber 15th,  1870.  Later  on  they  moved  to  Bal- 
timore, where  he  engaged  in  a  mercantile  busi- 
ness, and  still  continues  this  occupation  there. 
They  had  issue:  Pearla  K.  Byrd,  first  child, 
born  December  16th,  1873,  and  died  January 
26th,  1892;  Blanche,  the  second  child,  died  in 
infancy. 

Harriet  D.  Byrd,  second  daughter  of  Selby 
Byrd  and  Amanda  (Kelley)  Byrd,  married 
John  K  Watson  September  17th,  1866. 
They  have  four  children:  Thomas  N.  Watson, 
born  July  25th,  1867;  Mary  C.  Watson,  born 
50 


April  24th,  1870;  Theodocia  Ernestine  Watson, 
born  March  5th, 1872;  and  John  Selby  Watson, 
born  May  6th,  1874.  They  are  all  of  Teinper- 
anceville,  Accomack  county,  Va.  Mary  F. 
Byrd,  the  third  daughter  of  Selby  and  Amanda 
Byrd,  was  born  at  Muddy  Creek,  Accomack 
county,  Virginia,  April  5th,  1845.  She  married 
Eeuben  Sapp,  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Lavenia 
Sapp  of  Kent  county,  Delaware  on  the  18th 
of  January,  1869,  and  the  following  spring 
they  moved  to  the  northern  part  of  Illinois  and 
engaged  in  farming  there  for  17  years,  after 
which  they  returned  to  Kent  county,  Dela- 
ware, and  lived  a  retired  life  until  his  death, 
which  occured  on  August  26th,  1904.  He 
was  a  God-fearing  man  and  a  law-abiding 
citizen.  In  his  religious-views  he  was  a 
Quaker.  He  left  no  children.  His  widow 
survives  him  and  resides  in  Harrington,  Del. 

Matilda  Byrd,   the    oldest    daughter  of 
Parker  and  Keziah  Byrd,  was  born  1809  (the 
exact    date    not    known).     She  married 
Samuel  S.  Lucas,   November,    1825.  They 
51 


had  issue,  three  children — Henry  P.  Lucas, 
first  son,  born  September  10th,  1826,  and 
died  in  Brooklyn,  N".  Y.,  unmarried,  about 
1850;  Sylvanus  H.  Lucas,  second  son,  was  born 
March  10th,  1834.  He  lives  in  Baltimore 
and  is  doing  business  there.  Sallie  A.  Lucas, 
the  only  daughter  of  Samuel  S.  and  Matilda 
(Byrd)  Lucas,  was  born  August  1st,  1836, 
and  died  in  1860. 

Sallie  Byrd,  the  youngest  daughter  of 
Parker  Byrd  and  Keziah,  his  wife,  was  born 
in  1811.  She  married  Solomon  Small  (date 
of  marriage  not  known).  They  had  five 
children — Marcellus,  Sylvasten,  Elizabeth, 
John  and  Matilda.  I  have  no  record  of  their 
births. 

Eichard  P.  Byrd,  the  second  son  and  fourth 
child  of  Parker  Byrd  and  Keziah  Byrd  (nee 
Gillespie),  was  born  at  Muddy  Creek,  March 
4th,  1813.  He  was  brought  up  to  farm  life 
and  followed  that  occupation  all  through  his 
days.  When  he  was  a  young  man  he  was 
employed  as  supervisor  of  large  farming 

52 


interests  in  Accomack  county,  Virginia  (his 
native  place).  He  was  a  practical  farmer 
and  continued  in  his  employment  as  super- 
visor until  his  marriage  with  Nancy  J.  Parks, 
the  daughter  of  Edward  Parks,  of  Leemont, 
Ya.,  March  1st,  1843,  after  which  he  settled 
on  his  own  farm,  where  he  was  born,  and  re- 
mained there  a  number  of  years,  and  then 
moved  to  a  farm  that  his  wife  had  inherited 
from  her  father,  near  Parksley.  He  contin- 
ued there  until  his  death,  July  4th,  1881. 

Their  children  were  ail  born  at  Muddy 
Creek,  Accomack  county,  Ya.  Their  names 
are  as  follows:  Burnetta  S.  Byrd,  oldest 
daughter  of  Eichard  P.  and  Nancy  (Parks) 
Byrd,  was  born  February  14th,  1844,  who 
married  A.  M.  Eew,  who  died  and  left  no 
children;  Edward  P.  Byrd,  the  oldest  son, 
was  born  September  12th,  1845.  He  was 
educated  in  the  plain  country  schools  of  his 
neighborhood  and  acquired  a  sufficient  schol- 
astic training  for  a  practical  life  and  applied 
himself  to  farming.  He  has  been  successful 
53 


and  owns  valuable  real  estate  in  Accomack 
county.  He  married  Miss  Sallie  E.  Bundick, 
November  27th,  1878,  the  daughter  of  John 
A.  and  Elizabeth  (Parks)  Bundick.  They 
live  near  Metompkin,  Va.,  and  have  no 
children. 

Winfield  Scott  Byrd,  the  second  son  of 
Eichard  P.  and  Nancy  J.  Byrd,  was  born 
October  7th,  1847.  He  received  a  limited 
education  in  home  schools  and  prepared  him- 
self for  farm  life.  He  married  Miss  Bettie 
Mason  about  the  20th  (?)  of  March,  1872  (?) 
and  settled  on  his  farm  near  Parksley,  Va. 
They  have  one  child  only,  a  daughter — 
Nanie  R.  Byrd,  born  January  5th,  1873. 

Charles  L.  Byrd,  third  son  of  Richard  P. 
Byrd  and  Nancy  J. ,  his  wife,  was  born  June 
6th,  1849.  He  is  a  thrifty  business  man  and 
doing  a  prosperous  general  merchandise  busi- 
ness at  Metompkin,  Accomack  county,  Va. 
He  married  Miss  M.  V.  Bundick,  the 
daughter  of  John  A.  and  Elizabeth  Bundick 
(nee  Parks)  October  13th,  1875.    Just  here 

54 


I  will  mention  the  fact  that  Charles  L.  Byrd's 
wife  and  Edward  P.  Byrd's  wife  are  sisters, 
and  are  the  daughters  of  Elizabeth  Bundick 
(nee  Parks)  5  who  was  the  daughter  of  John 
D.  Parks,  a  wealthy  real  estate  owner  and  a 
well-known  citizen  in  Accomack  county. 

The  children  of  Charles  L.  and  M.  V.  Byrd 
(nee  Bundick)  are  as  follows:  William  W., 
first  son,  was  born  at  Metonikin,  Va..  De- 
cember, 24th,  1882;  Charles  W.,  second  son, 
was  born  May  9th,  1886 — he  is  now  at  the 
University  Medical  College  of  Richmond, 
Va.,  and  expects  to  graduate  in  the  medical 
profession  in  1907;  John  A.  Byrd.  the  third 
son,  of  Charles  L.  Byrd  and  M.  V.,  his  wife, 
was  born  September  6th,  1888 — he  is  at 
Richmond  College  taking  a  law  course; 
Aaron  S.  Byrd,  the  youngest  son  of  C.  L.  and 
M.  V.  (Bundick)  Byrd,  was  born  June  6th, 
1891.   He  is  at  home  with  his  parents. 

Cynthia  E.  Byrd,  the  youngest  daughter 
and  fifth  child  of  Richard  P.  and  Nancy  J. 
Byrd,  born  September  loth,  1851.   She  is  the 

55 


wife  of  Frank  T.  Rew,  and  has  two  sons — 
the  Hon.  John  R.  Rew,  born  February  12th, 
1873,  and  J.  Harry  Rew,  born  September 
17th,  1877.  They  are  both  lawyers  and  prac- 
ticing in  the  courts  at  Accomack  Court 
House,  Va. 

John  T.  Byrd,  the  sixth  and  youngest 
child  of  Richard  P.  Byrd  and  Nancy  J. 
(Parks)  Byrd,  was  born  August  5th,  1856. 
He  married  Miss  Maggie  Mason  (date  of 
marriage  not  known),  died  February  7th, 
1897.  His  widow  and  three  children  survive 
him.  The  children's  names  are  Richard  P., 
Belvia  and  Mason  Byrd.  I  have  no  record 
of  their  births.  They  live  in  Baltimore. 

The  above  data  and  genealogy  of  Richard 
P.  and  Nancy  J.  Byrd,  his  wife,  and  family 
were  furnished  me  by  Charles  L.  Byrd,  one 
of  their  sons,  now  living  at  Metompkin,  Va., 
and  he  says  that  his  father  died  July  4th, 
1881,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years  and  four 
months.  His  widow  survives  him  and  is  now 
at  the  advanced  age  of  about  eighty -three  ( ?) 

56 


years  and  lives  at  Parksley,  Accomack  coun- 
ty, Va. 

John  E.  Byrd,  the  youngest  child  of  Par- 
ker and  Keziah  (Gillespie)  Byrd,  (date  of  his 
birth  unknown).  He  went  to  Philadelphia 
when  a  young  man  and  married.  I  have  no 
further  trace  of  him 

Naomi,  the  third  daughter  of  Nathaniel, 
the  second,  and  Naomi  (Watson)  Byrd,  his 
wife,  was  born  about  January  20th  (?) 
1776  (?).  She  married  Southy  Northam 
about  February  14th,  (?)  1804.  They  had 
issue,  five  children — Lucretia,  first  daughter, 
born  March  10th,  (?)  1805.  She  married 
Meshach  Duncan  March  5th,  1825.  They 
had  issue.  Their  first  child,  William  Dun- 
can, born  December  26th,  1825,  is  now  in  the 
eighty-second  year  of  his  age  and  lives  at 
Temperanceville,  Accomack  county,  Va.  He 
has  been  an  active  and  consistent  member  of 
the  Baptist  church  for  about  three  score 
years  and  has  not  lost  the  vital  spark  yet  in 
his  Master's  service.   Elizabeth  A.,  the  sec- 

57 


ond  child  and  oldest  daughter  of  Meshach 
and  Lucretia  (Northam)  Duncan,  was  born 
November  2d,  1827.  Gillett,  the  oldest  son 
and  second  child  of  Southy  Northam  and 
Naomi  (Bryd)  Northam,  was  born  about  No- 
vember 10th  ( ?) ,  1806  ( ?) .  He  married  Bet- 
sy Cocke  about  1833  (?).  Their  children 
are;  first,  Polly,  who  married  Gilbert  Ross 
and  had  issue — Levin  and  David.  Levin  mar- 
ried Miss  Burnetta  Godwin.  They  live  at 
Hallwood,  Va.  The  second  child  of  Gillett 
and  Betsy  (Cocke)  Northam — David — mar- 
ried Eugenia  Godwin.  The  third — Annie — 
married  Sylvester  Johnson.  Rachel,  third 
child  of  Southy  Northam  and  Naomi,  his 
wife,  married  Meshach  Fisher.  Their  chil- 
dren were  Harriet,  John  D.,  Samuel,  Sarah, 
and  Burnetta  Ann.  The  youngest  child  of 
Southy  and  Naomi  (Bryd)  Northam  mar- 
ried Benjamin  Byrd.  They  both  died  on 
their  farm  at  Messongo  (date  of  death  un- 
known).   They  left  no  children. 

The  following  is  the  genealogical  record  of 

58 


Johannas  Byrd  and  his  family,  the  fourth 
son  of  Nathaniel  and  Naomi  (Watson)  Byrd. 
He  was  born  December  2d,  1777,  and  died 
September  8th,  1853,  and  was  twice  married. 
His  descendants  are  numerous.  His  first 
marriage  was  with  Miss  Margaret  Kelley, 
about  the  year  1805.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  Jacob  Kelley,  of  near  Johnson's  store,  Ac- 
comack county,  Virginia.  She  was  born  about 
1785,  and  died  in  November,  1813.  His  sec- 
ond marriage  was  with  Miss  Elana  Cocke  in 
1816.  She  was  born  September  19th,  1792, 
and  died  October  3d,  1842.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Richard  Cocke,  of  Accomack 
county,  Virginia,  and  was  a  lineal  descend- 
ant of  the  noted  Cocke  family  of  England. 

The  children  of  Johannas  and  Margaret 
(Kelley)  Byrd  are — Selby,  first  son,  who  was 
born  at  Muddy  Creek,  Accomack  county,  Va., 
July  16th,  1806.  He  was  educated  for  a 
teacher  at  the  academy,  then  open  at  Pun- 
goteague,  Va.  After  finishing  his  education 
he  began  the  work  of  training  young  minds 

59 


in  literature.  He  taught  in  several  places 
and  in  1833  (?)  he  went  to  Somerset  county, 
Maryland,  and  taught  at  the  place  now 
known  as  Kingston.  In  1834  he  married 
Miss  Amelia  Lankford,  a  young  lady  of  that 
locality,  and  died  about  September,  1835,  and 
leaving  one  child,  which  soon  followed  him 
in  death. 

Jacob  K.,  the  second  son,  was  born  April 
29th,  1809.  He  grew  up  with  his  parents  on 
the  farm  and  applied  himself  to  that  occu- 
pation all  his  life.  About  the  15th  of  April, 
1847,  he  married  Miss  Susan  Fisher,  the 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Betsy  (Northam) 
Fisher.  The  result  of  their  union  was  four 
children — William  S.,  the  first  son  of  Jacob 
K.  and  Susan  (Fisher)  Byrd,  was  born  Janu- 
ary 19th,  1848.  He  resides  on  his  father's 
homestead.  He  married  Sailie  E.  Byrd  Octo- 
ber 6th,  1869.  Their  children  are  Emily  E., 
born  May  20th,  1870,  and  Martin  Thomas, 
born  July  26th,  1871,  and  died  August  30th, 
1878. 

60 


Johannas  F.  Byrd,  second  son  of  Jacob  K. 
and  Susan  Byrd,  was  born  in  Accomack 
county,  Virginia,  August  31st,  184  (?).  He 
received  a  meagre  education  and  adapted 
himself  to  farm  life.  He  married  Miss  Mary 
A.  Martin  September  4th,  1873.  They  have 
issue — Mattie  A.,  first  child,  daughter,  born 
April  13th,  1875.  She  is  holding  a  promi- 
nent position  in  business  life  in  Philadelphia. 
The  second  child,  infant  girl,  born  September 
1st,  1876;  third  child,  infant  boy,  born  Feb- 
ruary 9th,  1879.   Both  died  in  infancy. 

Clarence  E.  Byrd,  the  fourth  and  youngest 
child  of  Johannas  F.  and  Mary  A.  (Martin) 
Byrd,  was  born  August  26th,  1889.  He  is 
receiving  his  education  at  the  High  School  in 
Pocomoke  City.  His  father  is  a  successful 
farmer  in  Worcester  county,  Maryland,  and 
lives  at  Goodwill,  four  miles  from  Pocomoke 
City. 

Elizabeth  M.,  the  oldest  daughter  of  Jacob 
K.  and  Susan  Byrd,  was  born  May  13th, 
1854.  She  married  John  William  Byrd  (date 

61 


of  marriage  unknown).  They  have  issue — 
Thomas  J.  Byrd,  first  child  of  John  William 
and  Elizabeth  M.  Byrd,  was  born  June  12th, 
1882.  Ceeia  A.,  the  second,  was  born  August 
14th,  1885.  Onie  S.,  youngest  child  of  John 
William  and  Elisabeth  M.  Byrd,  was  born 
October  8th,  1892.  They  live  at  Hallwood, 
Va.,  and  are  engaged  in  a  manufacturing  en- 
terprise and  industry. 

Annie  S.,  the  youngest  daughter  of  Jacob 
K.  Byrd  and  Susan  (Fisher)  Byrd,  was  born 
April  5th,  1860.  She  married  Parker  Kelley, 
son  of  George  and  Elisabeth  A.  Kelley,  of 
Messongo,  Accomack  county,  Va.  They  have 
issue.  The  first  child,  Byrd  P.,  born  Sep- 
tember 9th,  1885;  second,  Martin  J.,  born 
August  10th,  1889;  the  thirl,  Joseph  A., 
born  March  8th,  1892;  fourth,  George  E., 
born  January  3d,  1895 ;  fifth,  Elsie  A.,  born 
November  18th,  1896;  William  J.,  sixth  and 
youngest  child  of  Parker  and  Annie  S.  Kel- 
ley (nee  Byrd),  was  born  at  Messongo,  Va., 
April  5th,  1899. 

62 


Hetty,  the  first  daughter  of  Johannas  and 
Margaret  Byrd  (nee  Kelley),  was  born  at 
Muddy  Creek,  Ya.,  September  1st,,  1811.  She 
married  Smith  Cutler,  a  carpenter  of  Mes- 
songo.  Ya.,  in  the  early  part  of  1834.  They 
had  issue.  Their  first  child,  Margaret  Ann, 
was  born  January  12th  (?),  1835,  and  died 
in  1839.  John  S.  Cutler,  the  second  child  of 
Smith  and  Hetty  Cutler,  was  born  at  Mes- 
songo,  Accomack  county,  Ya.  As  he  grew 
up  into  boyhood  and  youth,  and  having  the 
spirit  of  energy  and  ambition,  he  naturally 
sought  to  acquaint  himself  with  some  line  of 
work  by  which  he  could  obtain  a  livelihood. 
His  mind  being  turned  to  the  carpenter's 
trade,  he  engaged  in  that  calling  and  devoted 
his  time  to  improving  himself  in  that  pur- 
suit until  1861,  when  the  war  between  the 
States  came  on,  when  he  joined  the  Con- 
federate army  and  served  until  the  close  of 
the  war  under  Gen.  Robert  E.  Lee,  and  was 
with  him  in  the  Battle  of  Gettysburg.  After 
the  close  of  the  war,  in  1865,  he  returned 
63 


to  his  home  in  Accomack  county,  Va.,  and  re- 
sumed his  work  at  the  carpenter's  bench.  On 
April  26th,  1866,  he  married  Miss  Rebecca 
Hall,  the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Sallie 
(Drummond)  Hall.  He  continued  to  follow 
his  chosen  occupation  until  a  few  years  ago, 
when  he  sold  his  property  in  Virginia  and 
moved  to  Salisbury,  Md.,  where  he  and  his 
good  wife  are  living  retired  lives.  They  have 
several  children,  of  whom  I  have  no  record. 
I  think  that  they  are  all  married. 

Ann  Eliza,  the  third  child  of  Smith  Cutler 
and  Hetty  (Byrd)  Cutler,  was  born  about 
January,  1838  (?).  She  married  Oliver 
Bunting.  Alexander  S.,  the  fourth  child, 
went  to  New  Orleans  and  engaged  in  the 
paint  business.  I  have  no  further  trace  of 
him.  George,  the  fifth  child,  was  born  about 
October,  1846.  He,  I  think,  is  a  farmer,  and 
lives  somewhere  in  Virginia.  Mrs.  Cutler 
was  a  godly  woman.  The  life  she  lived  on 
earth  was  evidenced  by  her  faith  in  the  Son 
of  God.    She  was  a  sweet  singer  in  Israel, 

64 


WM. 


BYRD  NORTHAM,  SR. 
CHESTER,  PA. 


Mary  E.  Northam 
Chester,  Pa. 


and  honored  her  Lord  with  her  voice.  She 
was  a  consistent  and  devoted  member  of  the 
Old  School  Baptist  Church,  and  was  faithful 
in  her  Master's  service  until  death  called  her 
to  her  reward  in  heaven  in  1848,  not  long 
after  the  birth  of  her  youngest  son,  William. 

Peggy  Byrd,  the  second  daughter  of  Jo- 
hannas  and  Margaret  Byrd,  was  born  No- 
vember 25th,  1813,  and  died  quite  young.  I 
have  no  record  of  date  of  death. 

Johannas  Byrd's  children  of  his  second 
marriage  with  Elana  Cocke  are  as  follows: 
first,  infant  boy  (dead)  ;  second  child,  Mar- 
garet, was  born  May  28th,  1819,  and  died 
July  2d,  1893.  She  married  William  C. 
Kortham,  of  Accomack  county,  Virginia,  in 
December,  1847.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade. 
The  result  of  their  union  was  seven  children : 
The  first  son,  William  Byrd  Kortham,  was 
born  October  1st,  1848.  When  a  young  man 
he  went  to  Phcenixville,  Pa.,  and  engaged  in 
the  moulding  business.  On  April  the  28th, 
1875,  he  was  married  to  Marv  Elizabeth 
65 


Spare.  She  was  born  December  24th,  1853, 
in  Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania.  They 
have  issue — first  child,  George  Valentine 
Northam,  born  August  15th,  1876.  He  is  a 
machinist  by  trade,  is  married  and  now  lives 
in  Lorain,  Ohio.  Harry  Spare,  second  son, 
born  November  18th,  1877,  electrician,  is 
married  and  living  in  Lorain,  Ohio.  William 
Byrd  Northam,  Jr.,  born  July  27th,  1879,  at- 
torney at  law,  and  practices  his  profession 
in  Chester,  Pa.  He  is  unmarried  and  lives  at 
home  with  his  parents.  Ella,  fourth  child, 
born  February  14th,  1881,  married  Alfred  C. 
Thorpe,  both  of  Chester,  Pa.  John  Albert, 
fifth  child,  born  April  11th,  1884;  he  is  a  steel 
moulder,  is  married  and  resides  now  in  Ches- 
ter, Pa. 

Margaret  May,  sixth  child,  born  April  6th, 
1886,  married  John  Henry  Kuch.  They  live 
at  Sharon  Hill,  Del  county,  Pennsylvania. 

Elsie,  the  seventh  child,  born  March  1st, 
1888,  is  living  at  home  with  her  parents. 
66 


Emily  Jane,  eighth  child,  born  August 
24th,  1891. 

Charles  Byrd  Northam,  ninth  and  youngest 
child  of  William  B.  and  Mary  Elizabeth 
(Spare)  Northam,  of  Chester,  Pa.,  was  born 
April  23d,  1895. 

Mary  A.,  oldest  daughter  of  William  C. 
and  Margaret  (Byrd)  Northam,  was  born 
October  31st,  1849.  She  married  John  W. 
Groton  (date  of  marriage  not  known).  He  is 
a  farmer  and  lives  near  Parksley,  Accomack 
county,  Va.   They  have  issue. 

Gillett  W.,  third  child,  was  born  November 
12th,  1851,  lives  at  Messongo,  Accomack 
county,  Va. 

Emily  J.,  fourth  child,  was  born  December 
17th,  1853.  She  married  Peter  Gillespie 
(date  of  marriage  not  known)  and  died  in 
March,  1903,  leaving  three  children — Mattie, 
J ohn  H.  and  Peter.  I  have  no  record  of  their 
births. 

George  F.,  fifth  child,  born  September 
13th,  1856,  dead. 

67 


Martin  J.,  sixth  child,  born  September 
26th,  1858,  dead. 

Henry  Clay,  seventh  and  youngest  child  of 
William  Custis  Northam  and  Margaret 
(Byrd)  Northam,  was  born  November  15th, 
1861.  He  grew  up  in  his  country  home  with 
his  parents  and  received  a  common  country- 
school  education.  Later  in  life  he  began  a 
mercantile  business  and  continued  with  mod- 
erate success  for  several  years.  On  April 
13th,  1892,  he  married  Miss  S.  Annie  Han- 
cock and  soon  after  retired  from  mercantile 
life  and  engaged  in  farming.  They  have 
issue — first  child,  V.  Margaret,  born  January 
26th,  1893 ;  second  child,  A.  Ethel,  born  De- 
cember 9th,  1894 ;  third,  Otis,  born  December 
5th,  1898;  H.  Paul,  fourth  and  youngest 
child  of  Henry  Clay  and  Annie  (Hancock) 
Northam,  was  born  September  14th,  1900. 
They  are  comfortably  fixed  on  their  farm  in 
Worcester  county,  Maryland,  about  five  miles 
from  Pocomoke  City. 

The  children  and  grandchildren  of  William 

68 


C.  and  Margaret  (Byrd)  Northam  are  ail  de- 
scendants of  the  Byrd  family  on  the  mother's 
side  of  the  family. 

Parker  Byrd,  second  son  of  Johannas  Byrd 
and  Elana  (Cocke)  Byrd,  was  born  February 
8th,  1821.  He  grew  up  on  the  farm  with  his 
parents.  In  early  life  his  mind  was  turned 
to  educational  interest,  and  he  made  use  of 
the  best  means  for  a  preparation  to  instruct 
others  that  the  schools  of  his  day  could  afford 
him.  He  engaged  in  teaching  for  several 
years  with  general  satisfaction.  He  was  well 
drilled  in  military  tactics  and  made  an  effi- 
cient officer,  was  unanimously  elected  cap- 
tain in  the  militia  in  1848,  and  in  1851  was 
promoted  to  the  office  of  adjutant  in  the  Nine- 
ty-ninth Regiment  of  the  Virginia  militia, 
and  served  under  Maj.-Gen.  James  Northam 
and  Coi.  Francis  Miller  with  eulogistic 
praise.  He  married  Mary  Ann  Trader  in 
1850,  and  engaged  in  farming  and  was  suc- 
cessful in  accumulating  real  estate.  He  was, 
in  politics,  an  old-line  Whig,  until  the  Re- 
69 


bellion,  when  he  became  a  Southern  sympa- 
thizer, and  after  that  he  voted  with  the 
Democratic  party.  He  was  a  conscientious 
man  and  tried  to  practice  the  "Golden  Rule," 
being  a  consistent  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church  for  more  than  a  half  century.  He 
was  chairman  of  the  building  committee  for 
the  first  house  of  worship  of  the  Bethel  Bap- 
tist Church,  built  at  Muddy  Creek  in  Acco- 
mack county,  Virginia,  in  1845.  His  interest 
in  his  Master's  cause  was  unabating,  and  in 
advanced  years  he  superintended  the  build- 
ing of  their  new  and  commodious  house  of 
worship,  built  in  1887.  He  was  honored  and 
respected  by  those  who  knew  him  for  his  up- 
rightness, honesty  and  integrity,  which  he  ad- 
hered to  until  his  death.  He  died  in  the 
triumphs  of  faith  in  his  God,  on  the  5th  day 
of  April,  1895,  in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his 
age.  His  funeral  services  were  held  at  his 
home  and  were  attended  by  about  five  hun- 
dred persons.  He  was  a  good  man.  What 
better  eulogy  could  he  and  his  good  wife 
70 


(who  preceded  him  in  death  several  years) 
have?  They  left  seven  sons,  whose  names 
are:  Alexander  W.  Byrd,  oldest  son  of 
Parker  and  Mary  A.  (Trader)  Byrd,  was 
born  April  17th,  1851.  He  and  his  family  re- 
side in  Baltimore. 

Teakle  L.,  the  second  son.  was  born 
March  31st,  1853.  He  married  Miss  Fisher 
(the  date  of  marriage  unknown).  He  is  a 
farmer  and  resides  on  his  farm  in  Accomack 
county.  Virginia.  They  have  several  chil- 
dren.  I  have  no  record  of  their  births. 

Henry  Parker,  third  son,  was  born  July 
17th,  1855,  and  died  unmarried  February 
5th,  1907. 

Staton  Franklin,  fourth  son,  was  born  No- 
vember 19th,  1857.  He  married  Clara  J. 
Lucas.  December  27th.  1882.  They  had  two 
children,  Samuel  P.,  the  oldest,  born  June 
15th,  1887,  and  Elana,  the  second  child,  born 
August  26th,  1890.  He  is  a  farmer  and  gen- 
eral merchandise  dealer  at  Poulson,  Acco- 
mack county,  Ya. 

71 


Jefferson  Davis,  the  fifth  son,  was  born 
April  4th,  1861.  He  married  Miss  Lizzie  J. 
Smith,  the  daughter  of  James  and  Sally  F. 
Smith,  of  Messongo,  Va.  They  have  one  son, 
Royal  D.  Byrd,  who  was  born  March  31st, 
1882.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Norcice  L. 
Bloxom,  the  daughter  of  Martin  and  Susan 
J.  Bloxom,  on  the  22d  day  of  December,  1902. 
He  is  a  prosperous  farmer  and  lives  near 
Mears  P.  O.  in  Accomack  county,  Va. 

Levin  J.,  the  sixth  son,  was  born  Decem- 
ber 26th,  1864.  He  lives  in  Baltimore  and  is 
doing  business  there. 

Major  Jackson  Byrd,  the  seventh  and 
youngest  son  of  Parker  and  Mary  A.  Byrd 
(nee  Trader),  was  born  August  31st,  1867. 
He  is  unmarried  and  inherited  his  father's 
homestead,  where  he  cared  for  him  and  min- 
istered to  his  wants  in  his  last  days.  Noble 
son  he  was. 

Samuel  C,  the  third  son  and  survivor  of 
twins  of  Johannas  and  Elana  Byrd,  was 
born  October  30th,  1822.  He  grew  up  under 
72 


Christian  influence  and  was  noted  for  piety 
in  early  life.  He  was  a  bachelor  and  very 
religious,  being  quite  eccentric.  He  made 
almost  a  thorough  acquaintance  with  the 
Bible ;  he  could  quote  the  most  of  it  from 
memoiw  and  tell  nearly  all  the  names  and 
places  mentioned  therein.  He  told  me,  when 
on  a  yisit  to  me  once,  that  he  had  read  his 
Bible  through  three  times  on  his  knees. 
While  in  conyersation  with  him  I  said  to  him 
that  he  had  been  faithful  in  the  seryice  of  his 
Lord  for  a  long  Time,  and  now  in  adyanced 
years  I  thought  it  would  be  better  for  him  to 
select  a  good  woman,  suitable  to  his  life  and 
circumstances,  and  marry  and  be  more  re- 
tired, since  he  had  trayeled  a  long  time  and 
done  all  the  good  he  could.  To  which  he  re- 
plied :  "Oh,  no ;  if  I  had  a  wife  I  would  not 
haye  time  to  read  my  Bible.''  He  was  pious 
from  his  youth,  and  died  March  15th,  1S95, 
in  the  faith  with  a  bright  hope  of  his  future 
reward. 

William  T.  Byrd,  fourth  son  of  Johannas 
73 


and  Elana  Byrd,  was  born  May  29th,  1824. 
He  was  a  carpenter  and  followed  that  occu- 
pation for  several  years.  On  February  24th, 
1853,  he  married  Miss  Hetty  Ann  Fisher. 
Afterwards  he  devoted  most  of  his  time  to 
farming  for  the  rest  of  his  life,  and  was  mod- 
erately successful.  The  fruit  of  their  mar- 
riage was  nine  children.  First,  a  daughter, 
Elizabeth  H.,  born  December  11th,  1853.  She 
married  Alfred  S.  Miles  (date  of  marriage 
unknown)  and  died  January  11th,  1885,  leav- 
ing three  children.   Their  names  not  known. 

Georgeanna,  the  second  daughter,  was  born 
August  14th,  1855,  and  died  unmarried  Jan- 
uary 14th,  1885. 

Tabitha  S.,  third  daughter,  was  born  Octo- 
ber 4th,  1857.  She  married  William  Hall 
(date  of  marriage  not  known).  They  live 
near  Temperanceville,  Accomack  county,  Va, 

Cornelius  J.  Byrd,  the  fourth  child  and 
oldest  son  of  William  T.  and  Hetty  Ann 
Byrd  (nee  Fisher),  was  born  March  3d,  1860. 
He  grew  up  on  the  farm  with  his  parents. 

74 


He  received  a  meagre  education  and  adapted 
his  life  to  farming  with  fair  success,  and  was 
married  to  Rebecca  J.  Duncan,  December 
26th,  1883.  They  have  issue.  Bertha  L.,  first 
daughter,  born  October  14th,  1884.  She  mar- 
ried Mr.  Bates  Pilchard,  a  worthy  young 
farmer  of  Worcester  county,  Maryland,  on 
the  22d  day  of  February,  1905.  Georgia  A., 
second  daughter,  was  born  February  23d, 
1889.  She  received  her  education  at  the  High 
School  in  Pocomoke  City,  and  was  graduated 
there  in  1906. 

Othelia  May,  third  daughter,  was  born 
February  4th,  1894.  Ora  Pearl,  fourth  and 
youngest  daughter  of  Cornelius  J.  and  Re- 
becca J.  (Duncan)  Byrd,  was  born  August 
31st,  1899. 

Cornelius  J.  Byrd  and  wife,  Rebecca,  are 
natives  of  Accomack  county,  Virginia,  but 
now  reside  in  Worcester  county,  Maryland. 

Hubbard  Lee,  fifth  child  of  William  T. 
Byrd  and  Hetty  Ann,  his  wife,  was  born 
75 


June  15th,  1863.  He  married  in  Baltimore 
and  is  doing  business  there. 

Martha  F.,  the  sixth  child  and  youngest 
daughter,  was  born  July  15th,  1865.  She 
was  married  to  Edward  E.  Nock,  a  worthy 
young  man  of  Accomack  county,  Virginia, 
February  16th,  1888.  Mr.  Nock,  at  the  time 
of  his  marriage,  was  engaged  in  a  mercantile 
business  as  a  traveling  salesman,  but  later 
he  took  to  farming  and  devotes  his  entire 
time  to  that  occupation,  residing  now  near 
Stockton,  Md.  He  and  his  good  wife  have, 
as  the  result  of  their  union,  seven  children. 
First,  Harold  E.,  born  April  26th,  1889 ;  sec- 
ond, Hattie  F.,  born  October  14th,  1890; 
third,  Beulah  M.,  born  August  9th,  1894; 
fourth,  William  B.,  born  November  22d, 
1896;  fifth,  Margie,  was  born  April  30th, 
1898;  sixth,  Randolph  M.,  born  July  4th, 
1902;  Alton  E.,  the  seventh  and  youngest 
child  of  Edward  E.  and  Martha  F.  (Byrd) 
Nock,  was  born  April  19th,  1904.    Mr.  and 

76 


Mrs.  Nock  are  both  devoted  and  consistent 
members  of  the  Baptist  Church. 

Arthur  W.  Byrd,  seventh  child  of  William 
T.  and  Hetty  A.  Byrd,  was  born  December 
23d,  1867.  He  was  married  to  Kebecca  Hall, 
the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Hester  Hall,  De- 
cember 27th,  1893.  As  a  result  of  their  union 
they  have  only  one  child,  a  son,  Colwell 
Francis  Byrd,  born  May  3d,  1906,  named  for 
the  writer  of  this  work.  They  live  at  Oak 
Hall,  Va. 

Charles  T.,  the  eighth  child,  was  born  Au- 
gust 22d,  1869.  He  is  a  farmer  and  lives 
about  one  mile  from  Pocomoke  City,  in  Wor- 
cester county,  Md.  He  married  Miss  Mary 
Lambertson,  December  27th,  1899.  They  have 
issue:  Edith,  first  child,  born  November 
19th,  1900,  and  Essie,  second  child,  born  Au- 
gust 31st,  1902. 

Alonzo  D.  Byrd,  ninth  and  youngest  child 
of  William  T.  and  Hetty  A.  (Fisher)  Byrd, 
was  born  June  19th,  1872.  He  married 
Martha  F.  Godwin,  November  6th,  1895. 
77 


They  have  issue — Lena  B.,  born  January  12th, 
1897;  Edna  S.,  born  March  6th,  1898,  and 
died  December  8th,  1901;  Lottie  M.,  born 
July  20th,  1899;  Walter  EL,  born  May  17th, 
1901;  Ernest  M.,  born  January  10th,  1903; 
Broadus  F.,  born  September  15th,  1904.  He 
is  a  farmer  and  lives  near  Stockton,  Md. 

Elizabeth  Custis  Byrd,  second  daughter  of 
Johannas  Byrd  and  Elana  Byrd  (nee  Cocke) 
was  born  October  26th,  1826.  She  was  mar- 
ried to  George  Northam  in  June,  1859,  and 
died  childless  in  1880. 

Personal,  Political  and  Religious. 

I,  Colwell  Patterson  Byrd,  the  seventh 
child  and  youngest  son  of  Johannas  Byrd 
and  Elana  (Cocke)  Byrd,  and  the  author 
of  this  work,  was  born  in  Accomack  county, 
Virginia,  on  the  26th  day  of  January,  1829. 
I  grew  up  to  manhood  trained  in  the  tenets 
of  the  old  Whig  party,  feeling  that  it  would 
almost  be  a  dishonorable  act  for  me  to  sup- 
78 


port  any  other  party  but  the  one  which  en- 
dured seven  years  warfare  and  bloodshed 
for  American  Liberty.  In  1852,  I  cast  my 
first  vote  for  Winfield  Scott,  the  Whig  nomi- 
nee for  President  of  the  United  States  of 
America. 

But  later  on,  as  there  become  changes  in 
the  affairs  of' the  nation,  I  changed  my  senti- 
ments politically,  and  when  the  Rebellion 
took  place  in  1861  I  voted  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party  and  have  continued  to  do  so 
ever  since.  As  to  my  religious  belief,  I  am 
a  Baptist  from  principle  and  conviction.  In 
early  life  I  was  impressed  with  the  import- 
ance of  my  personal  salvation,  which  im- 
pression has  been  lasting. 

When  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  in  1847, 
I  was  apprenticed  to  a  competent  brick 
mason  in  Baltimore  and  acquired  a  knowl- 
edge of  that  useful  trade. 

I  was  religiously  inclined  from  my  child- 
hood and  received  my  first  impression  when 
about  four  years  old,  which  impression  has 
79 


remained  with  me  nearly  three  score  and 
fifteen  years,  although  I  did  not  make  a 
public  profession  of  religion  until  April, 
1850;  on  the  5th  day  of  that  month  I  was 
baptized  by  the  Rev.  George  F.  Adams,  in  the 
Patapsco  river  at  Canton,  Baltimore,  and 
was  received  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Sec- 
ond Baptist  Church  of  that  city  on  the  same 
day. 

I  still  continued  to  live  in  Baltimore  a 
few  years,  working  at  my  trade,  and  on  the 
17th  day  of  September,  1854,  I  married 
Elizabeth  A.  Trader,  the  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam and  Comphrate  (Walker)  Trader,  of 
Accomack  county,  Virginia,  a  lady  of  a  true 
Christian  type.  After  our  marriage  we 
moved  to  Newtown,  Worcester  county,  Md., 
now  Pocomoke  city,  the  1st  day  of  January, 
1855.  Three  children  were  the  result  of  our 
union. 

Laura  Grace  Byrd,  the  first  child  and  only 
daughter  of  Colwell  P.  and  Elizabeth  A. 
(Trader)  Byrd,  was  born  in  Newtown,  WTor- 
80 


cester  county,  Md.,  October  1st,  1855.  She 
was  educated  at  the  High  School  of  her  birth- 
place, known  now  as  the  High  School  of 
Pocomoke  City. 

She  was  married  to  George  W.  Oldham, 
April  16th,  1871,  a  worthy  young;  man  of 
Temperanceville,  Va.,  in  the  Newtown  Bap- 
tist Church,  now  First  Baptist  Church  of 
Pocomoke  City,  Md.,  by  Rev.  Montcalm  Old- 
ham, father  of  the  bridegroom,  assisted  by 
Rev.  Lemuel  D.  Paulding,  pastor  of  the  bride. 

Mr.  Oldham,  when  quite  a  young  man,  en- 
listed as  a  volunteer  in  the  Confederate 
Army  in  April,  1863,  and  served  until  the 
close  of  the  war,  under  Brigadier  General 
Crutchfield,  Division  Commander  Gen.  W. 
H.  F.  Lee,  and  corps  Commander  General 
Ewell,  called  "Old  Fox."  He  was  also  in 
Company  E,  19th  Virginia  Battalion,  Artil- 
lery, Capt.  G.  G.  Savage  commanding,  Col- 
onel Atkinson  commanding  battalion. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  he  remained  for 
a  few  years  in  Richmond,  Va.,  and  then  re- 
81 


turned  to  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Virginia  and 
engaged  in  a  mercantile  business  at  Tem- 
peranceville,  Accomack  county,  which  busi- 
ness he  was  pursuing  at  the  time  of  his  mar- 
riage with  Miss  Byrd. 

The  result  of  their  union  was  three  chil- 
dren— Leroy  Oldham,  first  child  and  only 
son  of  George  W.  and  Laura  Grace  (Byrd) 
Oldham,  was  born  in  Temperanceville,  Acco- 
mack county,  Virginia,  March  12th,  1875. 
He  obtained  a  good  business  education  and 
when  quite  young  he  was  employed  as  clerk 
in  the  retail  drug  business  in  the  city  of  Nor- 
folk, Va.,  and  remained  there  a  short  time, 
when  he  moved  to  Baltimore  with  his  em- 
ployer, and  on  the  20th  of  June,  1892,  he 
accepted  a  position  as  clerk  with  Gilpin, 
Langdon  &  Co.,  one  of  the  largest  wholesale 
drug  establishments  in  that  city.  Having  push 
and  vim  with  his  capacity  for  business  and 
commendable  deportment  of  life,  he  found 
favor  with  his  employers.  Step  by  step  he 
advanced  in  business  until  at  the  age  of 
82 


Leroy  Oldham. 
Baltimore,  Md. 


thirty-two  years  he  is  now  a  prosperous 
wholesale  druggist  in  the  city  of  Baltimore. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Mabel  Ray  Shar- 
retts,  daughter  of  Grayson  W.  and  Maude 
Anna  Sharretts,  of  Baltimore,  in  the  Brown 
Memorial  Presbyterian  Church  of  that  city, 
by  Rev.  Byron  Clarke,  of  Mt.  Washington, 
and  Rev.  John  Timothy  Stone,  pastor  of  the 
bride,  and  is  at  the  present  time  well  situa- 
ted at  his  home  on  Clifton  Avenue,  Wal- 
brook,  a  suburb  of  Baltimore. 

Since  the  writer  closed  this  paragraph  of 
the  genealogy  of  this  work,  another  event  has 
taken  place  in  the  birth  of  his  great  grand- 
daughter, Dorothy  Byrd  Oldham,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Leroy  and  Mabel  Ray  Oldham,  born 
at  2800  Clifton  Avenue,  Walbrook,  Balti- 
more, Md.,  October  26th,  1907;  being  the 
first  born  of  his  fourth  generation  whom  he 
had  the  pleasure  of  holding  in  his  arms  and 
pronouncing  a  benediction  upon  the  day 
after  her  birth. 

Annie  B.,  second  child  of  George  W.  and 
S3 


Laura  Grace  Oldham,  was  born  December 
2d,  1880,  died  September  3d,  1881. 

Elizabeth  Grace,  the  youngest  daughter  of 
George  W.  and  Laura  Grace  Oldham  (nee 
Byrd),  was  born  March  4th,  1883.  She  was 
educated  in  the  High  School  at  Pocomoke 
city,  Worcester  county,  and  St.  Michael's, 
Talbot  county,  Md.  She  is  a  lady  of  cul- 
ture, and  has  prepared  herself  for  teaching 
and  is  a  teacher  in  the  High  School  at  Tem- 
peranceville,  Va. 

Franklin  W.  Byrd,  only  son  and  survivor 
of  twins  of  Colwell  P.  and  Elizabeth  A. 
(Trader)  Byrd,  was  born  in  Newtown,  Wor- 
cester county,  Md.,  July  20th,  1859.  He  was 
educated  in  the  High  School  of  his  birth- 
place, now  Pocomoke  city.  Very  early  in 
life,  when  a  boy,  his  mind  was  turned  toward 
mercantile  pursuits.  In  youth  he  engaged 
in  that  business  with  a  vim  that  characterizes 
men  of  energy  and  push.  For  a  few  years 
he  was  employed  as  clerk  in  a  general  mer- 
chandise business;  later  he  was  employed  as 

84 


Franklin  W.  Byrd, 
Pocomoke  City,  Md. 


traveling  salesman  with  a  wholesale  grocery 
house  in  Baltimore  for  several  years.  In 
June,  1895,  he  accepted  a  position  with  a 
large  wholesale  tobacco  house,  which  posi- 
tion he  still  holds.  He  is  a  stockholder  and 
also  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Citizens 
National  Bank  of  Pocomoke  city. 

On  February  20th,  1888,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  P.  Johnson,  the  daughter 
of  Captain  Hiram  and  Eliza  Sebastian  John- 
son, of  Westmoreland  county,  Virginia,  in 
the  Episcopal  Church  at  Stockton,  Md.,  by 
the  rector,  Rev.  Mr.  Batte,  the  pastor  of  the 
bride. 

Two  interesting  daughters  are  the  result  of 
their  union — Hallie  Johnson  Byrd,  first 
child,  born  in  Pocomoke  city,  Md.,  Novem- 
ber 18th,  1888.  She  was  educated  in  her 
home  school  and  graduated  there  in  1905 
with  great  credit  to  herself.  She  is  an  in- 
teresting and  accomplished  young  lady,  and 
has  quite  a  talent  for  music  and  will  take 
a  special  course  in  that  line  of  education. 
S5 


Elizabeth  Franklin,  a  bright  and  interest- 
ing four-year-old  girl,  the  second  and  young- 
est daughter  of  Franklin  W.  and  Elizabeth 
P.  (Johnson)  Byrd,  was  born  in  Pocomoke 
city  on  the  eleventh  day  of  December,  1905. 
She  is  a  child  of  promise. 

Colwell  P.  Byrd's  first  wife,  Elizabeth  A. 
(Trader)  Byrd,  was  born  October  10th,  1823, 
married  September  17th,  1854,  died  March 
20th,  1885.  He  married  his  present  wife, 
Mary  A.  E.  Parsons,  of  Seaford,  Del.,  Sep- 
tember 17th,  1890. 

OBITUARY. 

Words  are  inadequate  to  express  the  vir- 
tues of  so  lovely  a  woman.  Rich  in  love,  be- 
nevolence, good  will,  chaste  in  word,  thought 
and  deed;  without  envy,  hatred,  or  vanity, 
she  won  the  love  and  admiration  of  all  who 
knew  her.  Twenty-two  years  have  passed 
away  since  she  died,  but  the  roses  that  she 
propagated  in  her  life  and  transplanted  by 
her  husband  are  still  blooming  on  her  grave. 


The  place  will  soon  be  forgotten,  but  she 
will  live  and  adorn  the  race  as  long  as  there 
are  any  to  remember  and  imitate  her  vir- 
tues. The  following  is  her  obituary  written 
by  her  pastor. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  A.  Byrd — This  excellent 
lady,  wife  of  Colwell  P.  Byrd,  departed  this 
life  on  Friday  morning,  March  the  20th, 
1885,  at  2  o'clock,  about  sixty-one  years  of 
age.  She  had  been  sick  some  ten  days  or 
more,  but  had  not  been  regarded  as  serious- 
ly ill  until  the  day  before  her  death.  Her 
trouble  seems  to  have  been  of  a  kidney  char- 
acter which  of  late  has  become  so  common. 
The  death  of  this  estimable  woman  has 
thrown  another  dark  shadow  over  this  com- 
munity over  which  so  many  have  recently 
passed  in  close  succession;  has  sorely  strick- 
en another  church,  yet  smarting  from  a  re- 
cent stroke;  has  made  another  home,  in 
which  domestic  bliss,  wifely  devotion,  moth- 
erly tenderness,  and  the  graces  of  true  friend- 
87 


ship  and  sincere  piety  so  long  quietly 
reigned,  lonely,  dreary  and  desolate. 

Mrs.  Byrd  was  long  a  resident  of  Poco- 
moke  City  and  was  widely  known  in  our 
community.  She  was  highly  esteemed  for 
her  noble  personal  qualities,  her  kindliness 
of  heart,  her  gentleness  of  disposition,  her 
readiness  to  befriend,  to  help  to  do  good  to 
others.  Few,  perhaps,  had  more  or  sincerer 
friends.  She  has  been  for  years  connected 
with  the  Baptist  Church  here.  Though  not 
one  of  its  original  members,  she  and  her  hus- 
band, for  years  one  of  its  worthy  deacons, 
early  settled  here  after  its  organization  and 
at  once  identified  themselves  with  it.  From 
its  infancy  to  the  day  of  her  death  was  she 
connected  with  its  history.  And  how  worthy 
did  she  prove  herself;  how  faithful  and  de- 
voted to  all  its  interests;  how  ready  to  en- 
gage in  every  good  work.  How  she  will  be 
missed;  how  the  church  will  miss  her;  how 
the  Ladies'  Society  in  their  enterprises  will 
miss  her;  how  that  stricken  husband  and 
88 


f  „  T 


Mrs.  Elizabeth  A.  Byrd  (Mother), 
Pocomoke  City,  Md. 


those  devoted  children  will  miss  her.  But 
her  work  was  done  and  the  Master  said 
'•Come  up  higher."  Her  funeral  services 
were  held  on  Sunday  afternoon  in  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  and  though  a  violent  snow  storm 
was  prevailing  at  the  time,  a  large  congre- 
gation of  sympathizing  friends  was  present. 
Her  remains  now  sleep  quietly  in  the  Bap- 
tist Cemetery,  but  she  has  gone  to  live  with 
Christ.  We  will  not  weep  as  those  who  have 
no  hope. 

Solomon  Charles  Boston. 

Rachel  Ann,  third  daughter  and  eighth 
child  of  Johannas  and  Elana  Byrd  (nee 
Cocke),  was  born  August  8th,  1830.  She 
grew  up  to  be  an  interesting  young  lady,  al- 
ways carrying  sunshine  with  her  cheerful 
disposition,  that  characterized  her  short  life. 
She  was  a  model  of  beauty.  I  don't  think 
Accomack  county,  Virginia,  ever  produced 
a  prettier  face  on  a  woman  than  the  one  she 
wore.  She  was  admired  by  both  sexes  of 
those  who  knew  her. 


In  June,  1848,  she  was  married  to  Thomas 
H.  Fisher,  an  industrious  young  farmer  at 
Messongo,  Accomack  county,  Va.  She  died 
of  diphtheria  about  the  29th  of  November, 
1851,  and  left  one  child,  Martin  D.  Fisher, 
who  was  born  at  Messongo,  June  22d,  1849. 

Mr.  Fisher  remained  in  his  native  county 
a  few  years  after  the  death  of  his  wife.  In 

1855  he  went  to  New  Orleans  and  remained 
there  until  the  fall  of  that  year.  From  there 
he  visited  Audrain  county,  Missouri.  In 

1856  he  returned  to  the  Eastern  Shore  of 
Virginia.  After  a  short  stay  near  his  old 
home,  he  took  his  son,  Martin  D.,  a  seven 
year  old  boy,  and  returned  to  Audrain  coun- 
ty, Missouri,  and  settled  near  the  town  of 
Mexico  in  that  county,  and  remained  there 
until  his  death,  the  date  of  which  I  have  no 
record.  His  son,  Martin  D.  Fisher,  grew  up 
and  was  educated  in  Audrain  county,  Mis- 
souri, and  in  the  twenty-fourth  year  of  his 
age  he  was  married  to  Miss  Jane  D.  Wilson 
March  11th,  1873,  in  Audrain  county,  Mis- 

90 


souri.  To  them  have  been  born  four  sons : 
First,  Byrd  Fisher,  born  in  Audrain  county. 
Missouri,  December  22.  1873,  died  April 
19th,  1879;  Francis  Selby,  the  second  son, 
born  also  in  Audrain  county,  Missouri,  No- 
vember 21th,  1876.  After  the  birth  of  their 
second  son,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fisher  visited  the 
Eastern  Shore  of  Virginia,  I  think  sometime 
in  1877.  After  reaching  his  place  of  nativity 
Mr.  Fisher  decided  to  remain,  and  taught 
school  several  years,  during  which  time  their 
third  son,  Ira  Sidney  Fisher,  was  born,  in 
Accomack  county,  Virginia,  on  the  19th  day 
of  April,  1889.  Soon  after  birth  of  their 
third  son,  they  concluded  to  go  back  to  Mis- 
souri again  about  the  latter  part  of  1881. 
And  on  the  22d  of  April.  1885,  Willie  Clay 
Fisher,  fourth  and  youngest  son  of  Martin 
D.  and  Jane  D.  Fisher  (nee  Wilson)  was 
born  in  Audrain  county,  Missouri,  and  died 
there  in  infancy. 

In  the  month  of  March.  1893,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Fisher  returned  with  their  two  sons,  Francis 
91 


Selby  and  Ira  Sidney,  to  Accomack  county, 
Virginia,  located  at  Hallwood  Station,  and 
continued  there  until  1905,  when  they  moved 
to  Jamaica,  N.  Y.,  where  they  now  reside. 

Francis  Selby  Fisher,  oldest  son  of  Martin 
D.  and  Jane  D.  Fisher,  was  married  to  Miss 
Lillie  Bertha  Gray,  in  Accomack  county,  Vir- 
ginia, October  25th,  1898.  They  have  issue — 
only  daughter,  Nellie  Gray  Fisher,  born  in 
Accomack  county,  Virginia,  on  the  31st  day 
of  March,  1900.  They  reside  now  in  New 
York  city. 

Ira  Sidney,  the  youngest  son,  was  married 
to  Miss  Umstaddt  March  28th,  1905,  in 
Mexico,  Audrain  county,  Missouri,  where 
they  now  reside. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fisher  are  both  consistent 
members  of  the  Old  School  Baptist  Church. 
He  and  his  two  sons  are  descendants  of  the 
Byrd  family  on  the  mother's  side.  They  are 
all  carpenters  by  trade. 

Mary  F.  Byrd,  the  youngest  child  of  Jo- 
hannes and  Elana  (Cocke)  Byrd,  was  born 
92 


f 


johannas  l.  byrd 
Oak  Hall,  Va. 


June  12th,  1833.  She  was  married  to  Little- 
ton T.  Byrd,  her  cousin,  in  1852.  Three  chil- 
dren were  the  result  of  their  union — First, 
Olivia,  born  January,  1853,  and  died  in  in- 
fancy; the  second  child  (not  named)  also 
died  in  infancy;  Johannas  L.  Byrd,  third 
child  and  only  son  of  Littleton  T.  and  Mary 
F.  Byrd,  was  born  January  7th,  1855.  He 
married  Miss  Elizabeth  E.  Parks,  December 
20th,  1876,  the  daughter  of  John  and  Katie 
Parks,  of  Messongo,  Accomack  county,  Va. 
They  have  issue — Lillie  Francis,  first  child, 
born  September  28th,  1877;  second,  Mary 
Susan,  born  February  6th,  1880.  She  was 
married  to  Mr.  Oswald  S.  Mears  November 
4th,  1896.  He  is  employed  as  agent  for  the 
N.  Y.  P.  &  N.  K.  R.  Co.,  and  resides  at 
Bloomtown,  Virginia.  They  have  issue,  two 
children — first  child,  born  November  21st, 
1899,  and  died  August  1st,  1900;  second 
child,  Lee  Kerns,  born  May  31st,  1902. 

Third  child  of  Johannas  L.  and  Elizabeth 
(Parks)  Byrd,  Otho  Littleton,  was  born  Feb- 
93 


ruary  15th,  1883;  fourth,  Orris  Sylvester, 
born  June  23,  1886 ;  the  fifth,  James  Milton, 
was  born  October  28th,  1888;  sixth,  Nannie 
Eliza,  born  January  17th,  1893;  seventh, 
¥/alter  Rhodes,  was  born  November  23d, 
1898. 

Mr.  Byrd  is  employed  by  the  N.  Y.  P.  &  N. 
R.  R.  Co.  He  and  his  wife  reside  at  Oak 
Hall,  Accomack  county,  Va. 

I  am  indebted  to  my  nephew,  Major  Jack- 
son Byrd,  for  a  verbatim  copy  of  his  grand- 
father's will,  bearing  date  of  September  23d, 
1853,  which  is  as  follows: 

"In  the  name  of  God,  Amen.  I,  Johannas 
Byrd,  being  of  sound  and  perfect  memory 
(blessed  be  God)  and  being  convinced  of  the 
uncertainty  of  life  and  the  necessity  of  a 
preparation  for  death,  do  hereby  make  this 
my  last  will  in  manner  and  form  following, 
and  do  revoke  any  and  other  wills  heretofore 
made  by  me.  First  and  principally:  I  com- 
mend my  soul  to  God  that  gave  it  and  my 
body  to  be  buried  in  such  decent  order  as  my 
94 


executors,  hereafter  named,  shall  think  meet 
and  convenient.  And,  as  touching  the  dis- 
position of  my  worldly  estate  as  it  hath 
pleased  God  in  his  mercy  to  bestow  upon 
me. 

Item  First.  I  lend  to  my  daughter  Eliza- 
beth the  largest  room  in  my  dwelling  house 
during  her  single  life  and  also  fire-wood  for 
said  room. 

"Second.  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  son, 
Jacob  K.  Byrd,  the  land  whereon  I  now  live 
together  with  all  the  appurtenances  thereto 
belonging  and  bounded  by  a  straight  ditch 
running  from  the  county  road  easterly  up 
to  land  of  Henry  Young's  heirs;  to  him,  the 
said  Jacob  K.  Byrd,  and  his  heirs  forever. 

"Third.  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  son, 
Parker  Byrd,  the  place  on  which  said  Parker 
now  lives,  containing  fifty  acres,  more  or 
less,  and  bounded  as  follows ;  beginning  at  a 
marked  white  oak  between  the  heirs  of  Henry 
Young,  deceased,  and  said  land  running 
northwesterly  so  as  to  make  his  woodland 
95 


as  wide  where  it  joins  the  land  of  James 
Northam  as  it  is  where  it  joins  the  land  of 
Henry  Young's  heirs,  to  him,  the  said  Par- 
ker Byrd,  and  heirs  forever. 

"Fourth.  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  son, 
Samuel  C.  Byrd,  residue  or  remainder  of  my 
land,  it  being  forty-seven  and  one-half  acres, 
more  or  less,  to  him  and  his  heirs  forever. 

"Fifth.  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  daugh- 
ter, Margaret,  one  bed  and  furniture,  second 
choice,  and  the  chest  that  was  her  mother's. 

"Sixth.  I  also  authorize  my  son  Parker 
to  hold  in  his  possession  my  negro  girl  Sarah 
and  a  reasonable  hire  for  whom  I  require 
said  Parker  to  pay  to  my  daughter  Mar- 
garet, but  neither  said  negro  or  her  hire  is 
to  be  subject  to  the  control  of  said  Mar- 
garet's husband  or  in  any  wise  liable  for  his 
debts,  and  if  said  Margaret  die  before  said 
Parker,  in  that  event  I  give  said  negro, 
Sarah,  to  my  said  son  Parker. 

"Seventh.  I  give  and  bequeath  my  mgro 
woman,  Mary,  and  her  increase  if  she  have 
96 


any  after  this  time,  also  a  bed  and  furni- 
ture, the  first  choice,  to  my  daughter  Eliza- 
beth. 

"Eighth.  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  daugh- 
ter. Polly,  my  negro,  George,  and  bed  and 
furniture,  third  choice. 

"Xinth.  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  son, 
William  T.  Byrd,  my  negro  boy,  John,  and 
the  whole  of  my  carpenter  and  joiner's  tools. 

"Tenth.  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  son, 
Colwell  P.  Byrd,  his  heirs  or  assigns,  my 
negro  boy,  Robert. 

Also,  I  leave  the  remainder  of  my  per- 
sonal property  to  be  sold  and,  after  paying 
my  just  debts,  to  be  divided  as  follows:  the 
one-fourth  to  my  daughter  Elizabeth,  one- 
fourth  to  my  daughter  Polly,  one-fourth  to 
my  grandchildren  John,  Eliza,  Alexander, 
Washington,  George  and  William  Cutler. 
And  also  one-fourth  to  my  grandson  Martin 
Fisher. 

'kI  hereby  authorize  my  son,  Jacob  K. 
Byrd,  to  retain  the  amount  designed  for  the 
97 


Cutler  children  and  lay  it  out  for  their 
schooling,  unless  necessity  should  otherwise 
require  it. 

"If  either  of  said  Cutler  children  die  be- 
fore receiving  his  or  her  distributive  share, 
I  give  the  portion  designed  for  him  or  her 
to  the  surviving  ones. 

"I  require  my  sons  Jacob,  Parker  and 
Samuel  to  bear  an  equal  proportion  in  feed- 
ing and  clothing  my  afflicted  negro  man, 
Elijah,  and  when  he  dies  to  have  him  decent- 
ly buried. 

"I  appoint  my  sons,  Jacob  K.  and  Parker 
Byrd,  my  executors.  In  testimony  whereof  I 
hereunto  set  my  hand  this,  the  twenty-third 
day  of  September,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord, 
eighteen  hundred  and  fifty-three. 

"Witness:         Johannas  Byrd.  (Seal)." 
Martin  K.  Kelly. 
Sylvester  J.  Marshall. 
John  H.  Custis. 

Daniel  T.  Byrd,  youngest  son  of  Nathaniel 
and  Naomi  (Watson)  Byrd,  was  born  Octo- 
98 


ber  30th,  1785,  and  died  at  the  old  Byrd 
homestead  at  Muddy  Creek,  Accomack  coun- 
ty, Va.,  on  March  30th,  1846,  where  he  had 
spent  all  his  life.  He  grew  up  on  the  farm 
and  devoted  his  entire  life  to  that  occupation. 
He  was  married  to  Nancy  Gillespie  about 
March,  1811.  There  were  born  to  them  two 
children — 

Nathaniel  J.  Byrd,  the  first  child  and  only 
son  of  Daniel  T.  and  Nancy  (Gillespie) 
Byrd,  was  born  at  the  old  homestead  Febru- 
ary 8th,  1812.  He  grew  up  and  was  educated 
in  the  ordinary  school  of  his  day,  later  he 
acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  carpenter's 
trade  and  pursued  that  occupation  for  a  few 
years  in  his  native  State,  after  which,  in  the 
early  thirties,  1833  or  1834,  he  went  to  the 
State  of  Missouri  with  a  colony  of  young 
men  and  women  (mostly  men).  The  com- 
pany consisted  of  about  thirty  persons  from 
Worcester  county,  Maryland,  and  Acco- 
mack county,  Virginia.  In  that  company 
there  was  a  newly  married  couple,  Mr.  Asa 
99 


Merrill  and  his  bride,  who  was  Miss  Ann 
Aydelotte  Mason.  They  used  that  opportu- 
nity for  their  wedding  tour.  That  company 
all  sailed  together  on  board  of  a  schooner 
from  Cedar  Hall  wharf,  on  the  Pocomoke 
river,  in  Worcester  county,  Maryland,  to 
Baltimore,  as  steamboats  and  railroads  were 
something  unknown  in  that  country  at  that 
time.  Arriving  in  Baltimore  by  sailboat, 
from  thence  they  took  their  tedious  and 
fatiguing  journey  to  Missouri  by  stage. 

When  they  reached  their  destination,  they 
dispersed  to  different  parts  of  the  State.  Mr. 
Merrill  and  his  bride  and  Mr.  Byrd  settled 
in  Lafayette  county,  near  the  town  of  Lex- 
ington, Missouri.  Mr.  Byrd  pursued  his 
chosen  occupation,  the  carpenter's  trade,  and 
taught  school  at  intervals — until  the  sum- 
mer of  1835,  at  which  time  he  returned  to 
his  native  home  in  Accomack  county,  Vir- 
ginia, on  a  visit  to  his  father  and  other  rela- 
tives, for  a  short  period  of  time.  Upon  re- 
turning to  Missouri,  later  in  the  same  year, 
100 


he  resumed  his  work  at  the  carpenter's 
bench.  In  the  meantime  it  pleased  God  in 
the  allwise  dispensation  of  His  Providence 
to  remove,  by  death,  Mr.  Merrill,  from  his 
new  home  and  settlement  in  this  life,  to  his 
destiny  beyond,  leaving  his  young  widow  and 
his  orphan  son,  Levin  H.  Merrill.  The  date 
of  his  birth,  the  writer  does  not  know,  but 
probably  it  was  some  time  in  1834,  judging 
from  some  other  incidents  that  occurred  in 
that  family  of  which  I  have  been  informed. 

Mrs.  Merrill  remained  a  widow  until  about 
the  Autumn  of  1837,  when  at  that  time  she 
again  united  in  matrimony  with  Nathaniel 
J.  Byrd,  mentioned  above.  Her  son,  Levin 
H.  Merrill,  grew  up  to  manhood  and  when 
the  war  between  the  States  came  on  he  went 
in  the  Confederate  service  and  was  killed  in 
Arkansas,  leaving  a  widow  and  several  chil- 
dren. Mrs.  Byrd  was  born  in  Worcester 
county,  Maryland,  November  28th,  1808.  She 
was  left  an  orphan  at  about  eight  years  old 

101 


and  was  raised  by  her  uncle,  a  Presbyterian 
preacher,  who  lived  near  Snow  Hill. 

She  was  first  cousin  to  the  late  Col.  Wil- 
liam J.  Aydelotte,  of  Pocomoke  City,  Md. 
She  was  a  lady  of  worthy  reputation  and 
noble  traits.  I  remember  meeting  Judge 
James  Merrill  (who  was  a  native  of  Wor- 
cester county,  Maryland,  but  had  resided  in 
Lafayette  county,  Missouri,  for  many  years) 
in  1856  in  Newtown,  now  Pocomoke  City, 
while  on  a  visit  to  friends  and  relatives  in 
his  native  county,  and,  in  answer  to  my  in- 
quiry for  Nathaniel  J.  Byrd  he  told  me  that 
he  was  well  acquainted  with  him  and  his 
family. 

Mrs.  Byrd,  who  was  the  widow  of  Asa 
Merrill,  who  was  born  in  Worcester  county, 
Maryland,  (date  of  birth  not  known)  and 
died  in  Lexington,  Mo.,  about  the  year  1835, 
had,  by  her  second  marriage  with  Nathaniel 
J.  Byrd,  seven  children,  whose  names  are  as 
follows : 

Asa  Nathaniel,  first  son  of  Nathaniel  J. 

102 


and  Ann  Aydelotte  Byrd,  was  born  July 
12th,  1838,  at  Lexington,  Mo.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  country  schools  and  in  1855  he 
became  a  member  of  the  United  Baptist 
Church.  In  1860  he  entered  The  William 
Jewell  College  at  Liberty,  Mo.,  as  a  student 
for  the  gospel  ministry,  from  which  place  he 
received  the  degree  A.  B.  and  the  degree  A. 
M.  He  was  ordained  to  the  full  work  of  the 
gospel  ministry  on  the  sixth  day  of  March, 
1864,  by  the  Second  Baptist  Church  of  Lib- 
erty, Mo.  The  council  was  composed  of  Wil- 
liam Thompson,  president  of  William  Jewell 
College,  Edward  J.  Owen,  professor  of  Wil- 
liam Jewell  College,  Thomas  H.  Stouts,  pro- 
fessor of  William  Jewell  College,  J.  B. 
Tombes,  president  of  Woman's  College,  W. 
C.  Barrett,  pastor,  W.  J.  Patrick. 

The  Rev.  Asa  N.  Byrd  spent  his  life  work 
in  the  gospel  ministry  within  the  bounds  of 
the  North  Liberty  Baptist  Association,  which 
was  organized  at  New  Hope  Baptist  Church, 
Clay  county,  Mo.,  in  1844,  where  he  was 
103 


highly  complimented  at  their  jubilee  cele- 
bration, held  in  1894,  by  Dr.  W.  R.  Roth- 
well,  the  principal  speaker  of  that  occasion, 
who  said  if  he  was  called  upon  to  name  the 
minister  who  has  been  pastor  of  more 
churches,  who  had  conducted  more  funeral 
services,  and  married  more  couples  than  any 
one  minister  in  that  Association,  he  would 
name  the  tenor-voiced  Asa  N.  Byrd. 

He  was  married  June  21st,  1866,  to  Miss 
Sallie  E.  Pemberton,  of  near  Piatt  city,  Piatt 
county,  Mo.,  who  (the  writer  has  been  in- 
formed) was  a  lady  of  high  attainments  and 
an  efficient  helpmeet  to  her  husband  in  his 
ministerial  work  for  nearly  forty  years.  Her 
Heavenly  Father  took  her  from  her  work  on 
earth  to  her  reward  in  Heaven  in  the  fall 
of  1904,  leaving  her  bereaved  husband  (now 
a  retired  Baptist  preacher,  and  living  about 
one  and  a  half  miles  from  Liberty,  Mo.), 
with  his  two  noble  and  accomplished  daugh- 
ters, Mattie  and  Annie,  to  bless  his  home, 

104 


both  of  whom  are  graduates  of  the  Woman's 
College  of  Liberty. 

The  second  birth  was  that  of  William 
Daniel  T.  and  twin  sister,  Mary  Ann,  born 
about  1840  (the  exact  date  of  birth  un- 
known). William  grew  up  to  manhood.  He 
was  by  profession  a  photographer.  He  mar- 
ried young  and  died  childless. 

Mary  Ann,  the  twin  sister,  grew  up  to 
womanhood,  married  a  Mr.  Offut,  and  died 
childless.  The  third,  Sarah  Rebecca,  who 
grew  up  to  womanhood  with  brilliant  intel- 
lect, was  a  teacher  of  promise  and  died  un- 
married in  the  twenty-second  year  of  her  age. 

The  fifth  child,  Demmeria,  was  born  at 
Lexington,  Mo.,  (date  of  birth  not  known). 
She  grew  up  to  womanhood  and  married 
John  Barton,  a  farmer  near  Springfield,  Mo. 
They  have  a  family  of  several  children  and 
now  reside  in  Arkansas. 

Ayres  M.,  the  youngest  son,  who  is  a 
dealer  in  pianos  and  musical  instruments, 
lives  at  426  Topping  avenue,  Kansas  City, 
105 


Mo.  He  has  one  son,  Leslie,  with  whom  the 
writer  corresponded  a  few  times  several 
years  ago. 

Fannie,  the  youngest  child  of  Nathaniel  J. 
and  Ann  A.  (Merrill)  Byrd,  (nee  Mason), 
was  born  at  Odessa,  Mo.,  (the  exact  date  of 
birth  unknown,  but  is  supposed  to  have  been 
about  1848).  She  was  educated  in  her  home 
school  in  Odessa,  and  in  early  life  was  mar- 
ried to  Mr.  W.  T.  Thomason,  a  teacher.  They 
remained  in  Missouri  several  years  after 
their  marriage,  but  subsequently  moved  to 
Fayetteville,  Ark.,  with  their  two  daughters, 
where  they  now  reside.  Their  eldest  daugh- 
ter, Demma,  died  several  years  ago,  unmar- 
ried. Annie,  the  youngest  daughter,  mar- 
ried a  Mr.  Dunlap  (date  of  marriage  un- 
known). He  is  a  graduate  of  Effingham 
School  of  Photography,  Illinois.  They  lived 
in  Fayetteville  after  their  marriage  until 
July,  1907,  when  they  moved  to  Clifton,  Ariz. 
They  have  two  children,  who,  with  their 

106 


mother,  are  descendants  of  the  Byrd  family 
of  Accomack  county,  Virginia. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nathaniel  J.  Byrd  both  lived 
to  a  ripe  old  age.  Mrs.  Byrd  was  a  consis- 
tent member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  for 
a  number  of  years,  but  afterward  became  a 
Baptist,  and  at  the  age  of  sixty  years  she 
was  enrolled  as  a  charter  member  of  Mt. 
Hope  Baptist  Church,  now  of  Odessa,  Mo., 
where  she  died  on  March  10th,  1885,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-five  years.  She  preceded  her 
husband  in  death  about  nineteen  years.  He 
died  in  Springfield,  Mo.,  in  January,  1904, 
at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-two  years. 

Demmeria,  the  only  daughter  of  Daniel  T. 
and  Nancy  Byrd  (nee  Gillespie),  was  born 
at  the  old  Byrd  homestead  about  August, 
1813.  She  was  married  to  George  P.  Byrd, 
a  worthy  young  man  and  farmer,  about  the 
spring  of  1836.  They  lived  about  half  a  mile 
from  her  birthplace.  The  result  of  their 
union  was  four  children. 

Betsy  Poulson  Byrd,  their  first  child,  was 
107 


born  probably  in  the  early  part  of  1838.  She 
died  in  childhood.  I  cannot  record  the  date 
of  the  births  of  the  other  three  children.  De- 
catur Franklin  was  the  second  child.  He 
lived  to  middle  age  and  died  unmarried. 

Osborne,  the  third  child,  lived  nearby  his 
birthplace  until  he  arrived  at  manhood  and 
then  went  to  a  dental  school  and  studied 
that  profession.  Later  on  he  went  to  Indian 
Territory,  and  practiced  his  profession. 
There  he  married  a  half-breed  Indian  lady, 
who  is  said  to  be  a  very  fine  woman,  settled 
there,  and  had  issue.  I  have  met  his  two 
daughters,  who  visited  Accomack  county, 
Virginia,  their  father's  native  county. 

Susan,  the  fourth  child  of  George  P.  and 
Demmeria  Byrd,  is  unmarried  and  lives  with 
her  brother  in  Indian  Territory. 

Daniel  T.  Byrd's  children  of  his  second 
marriage  with  Rhoda  Riggin,  in  1814,  are  as 
follows:  Daniel  T.,  Jr.,  first  child,  son  of 
Daniel  T.  and  Rhoda  (Riggin)  Byrd,  was 
born  at  Muddy  Creek,  in  the  old  Byrd  home- 
108 


stead,  February  17th,  1815.  He  grew  up  to 
manhood  and  learned  the  carpenter's  trade. 
In  1839  he  went  to  New  York  and  pursued 
his  chosen  occupation  for  about  ten  years, 
during  which  time  he  married  and  settled  in 
Williamsburg,  then  a  suburban  town  of  New 
York.  During  his  stay  in  that  locality  his 
wife  died  and  left  him  with  three  children, 
one  of  them  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  in 
1846  at  her  grandfather's  in  Accomack  coun- 
ty, Virginia,  an  interesting  little  girl  of 
about  six  years.  In  1848  he  united  again  in 
matrimony  with  Miss  Susan  Fisher,  of 
Accomack  county,  Virginia,  and  in  the  lat- 
ter part  of  1819  he  moved  to  California  with 
his  family  in  search  of  gold,  and  soon  after 
we  lost  all  trace  of  him  and  family. 

Samuel,  the  second  son,  was  born  about 
June,  1817.  He  married  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Byrd 
(nee  Taylor),  in  December,  1816.  The  result 
of  their  union  was  one  child,  Sally,  the  only 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  Byrd,  who 
was  born  about  the  latter  part  of  1817  (the 
109 


exact  date  of  birth  unknown).  Mr.  Byrd 
was  a  farmer,  devoted  his  life  to  that  occu- 
pation and  died  in  the  fall  of  1852. 

Obed  S.  Byrd,  the  third  son  of  Daniel  T. 
and  Rhoda  Byrd,  was  born  September  12th, 
1819,  and  died  at  the  old  homestead  place 
August  25th,  1876.  He  was  a  farmer  and 
pursued  that  calling  all  his  life.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Hetty  Mears  in  1853,  the  daughter 
of  Thomas  and  Katie  Mears,  of  Guilford, 
Accomack  county,  Va.   They  had  issue. 

Florence  Neil,  the  oldest  child  (daughter) 
on  the  family  record  of  Obed  S.  and  Hetty 
(Mears)  Byrd,  was  born  February  11th, 
1857. 

Daniel  Harmanson,  the  second  child  (son) 
was  born  October  8th,  1859.  Rhoda  Ann  C, 
the  third  child,  was  born  February  8th,  1862. 
She  was  married  to  James  T.  Smith,  May 
31st,  1882.  They  reside  on  the  homestead 
place  at  Muddy  Creek,  Va.  Warren  L.,  the 
fourth  child,  was  born  November  7th,  1864. 
Thomas  Woodson,  the  fifth  and  youngest 
110 


child  of  Obed  S.  and  Hetty  (Mears)  Byrd, 
was  born  March  21st,  1875.  The  children 
of  Obed  S.  Byrd  all  live  near  the  place  of 
their  birth. 

Littleton  T.,  the  fourth  child  of  Daniel  T. 
and  Rhoda  Byrd,  was  born  April  22d,  1821, 
and  died  in  1855.  He  left  a  widow  and  one 
child.  Emeline,  the  oldest  daughter  of 
Daniel  T.  and  Rhoda  Byrd,  was  born  March 
the  16th,  1823,  and  died  unmarried  about  the 
year  1860. 

Eliza,  the  youngest  daughter,  was  born 
March  9th,  1826.  She  married  Alfred  Rig- 
gin,  her  cousin,  in  1852,  and  died  childless 
in  October,  1851. 

Riley  Franklin  Byrd,  the  youngest  child 
of  Daniel  T.  and  Rhoda  Byrd  (nee  Riggin) 
was  born  February  10th,  1830.  He  was  edu- 
cated in  the  best  schools  in  Accomack  county, 
Virginia.  He  studied  surveying  and  naviga- 
tion, acquired  a  knowledge  of  these  two  stu- 
dies and  later  on  studied  medicine,  but  never 
practiced  it.  He  was  of  a  roving  disposi- 
lil 


tion,  and  having  no  fixed  purpose  he  took  to 
the  sea  and  followed  that  course  of  life  for  a 
while.  He  then  abandoned  that  pursuit,  be- 
gan teaching  for  a  livelihood,  and  taught 
school  all  along  the  Atlantic  States,  from 
Georgia  to  Nova  Scotia,  and  late  in  his  life 
he  returned  to  his  native  State  and  taught 
until  the  time  of  his  death  in  December, 
1904,  and  was  buried  in  the  old  family  grave- 
yard with  his  parents  at  Muddy  Creek,  Acco- 
mack county,  Va. 

The  author  of  the  preceding  genealogy 
feels  painfully  aware  that  he  has  come  far 
from  compiling  a  perfect  history  of  this 
branch  of  the  worthy  family  of  whom  he  has 
endeavored  to  make  a  record,  and  having,  as 
aforesaid,  made  diligent  research  among  the 
archives  at  the  county  seat  of  Accomack 
county,  Virginia,  and  not  being  able  to  find 
any  records  that  give  satisfactory  informa- 
tion of  the  exact  time  of  settlement  in  the 
locality  named,  we  find  it  necessary  to  fol- 
low tradition,  which  has  already  been  quoted. 
112 


Furthermore,  there  is  a  tradition  which  says 
that  two  men  named  Byrd  came  to  the  Eas- 
tern Shore  in  the  early  part  of  1700  from  the 
Western  Shore  of  Virginia  (the  exact  place 
whence  they  came  is  not  known  to  the 
writer)  and  found  their  way  up  the  Poco- 
moke  Sound.  One  of  tnese  men,  whose  name 
was  Nathaniel  Byrd,  located  on  Muddy 
Creek,  in  Accomack  county,  Ya.,  about  that 
time.  The  other  man,  of  whose  first  name  we 
are  not  positive,  settled  in  the  southern  part 
of  Somerset  county,  Maryland,  near  the 
place  where  the  town  of  Crisfield  is  now 
built.  By  recent  search  in  the  clerk's  office 
at  Princess  Anne,  Somerset  county,  Md.,  I 
find  that  the  records  of  deeds  and  wills  at 
that  place  show  that  David  Byrd  willed  prop- 
erty in  that  county  to  his  daughter,  Eliza 
Byrd,  in  1722,  which  corresponds  quite  au- 
thentically to  the  time  of  the  settlement  of 
that  branch  of  the  Byrd  family  which  set- 
tled at  Muddy  Creek,  Accomack  county,  Va. 
Also  the  records  at  the  same  place  show 

113 


that  Joseph  Byrd  deeded  legacies  to  his  wife, 
Arabella  Byrd,  on  the  first  day  of  August, 
1739.  I  also  find  that  the  same  records  at 
Princess  Anne  show  that  Arabella  Byrd 
willed  property  in  Somerset  county,  Mary- 
land, on  July  19th,  1745. 

The  will  of  Thomas  Byrd,  on  record  and 
registered  among  the  wills  and  deeds  at 
Princess  Anne,  Somerset  county,  Md.,  bear- 
ing date  1747,  show  that  he  willed  his  prop- 
erty, to  be  equally  divided  among  his  six 
children,  viz:  Elizabeth  Sterling,  Hannah 
Wilson,  Jacob  Byrd,  Rachel  Byrd,  Betsy 
Byrd  and  Polly  Byrd.  The  above  dates  cor- 
respond very  closely  to  the  traditional  ac- 
counts of  the  Byrd  family  of  Muddy  Creek, 
Va.,  and  the  names  mentioned  here  bear  a 
very  close  resemblance  to  some  of  the  names 
of  that  branch  of  the  family  and  almost  con- 
clusively verify  the  authenticity  of  their 
record. 

There  were  other  Byrds  who  settled  in  the 
locality  of  Muddy  Creek  subsequently  to  the 
114 


time  of  the  first  settlers,  of  whom  the  writer 
has  made  no  record.  They  may  have  been 
slightly  relatd,  but  it  is  only  of  his  own  im- 
mediate ancestry  that  the  author  has  writ- 
ten. And  just  here  he  will  mention  some  of 
their  customs  and  manners  of  life.  They 
were  of  English  origin,  and  doubtless  they 
and  the  generations  which  have  followed 
them  have  all  come  down  in  a  line  of  de- 
scent from  Col.  William  Byrd,  who  came 
from  England  in  1670,  and  settled  at  West- 
over,  on  the  James  river,  in  Virginia. 

I  will  now  use  this  space  in  which  to  re- 
late an  incident  that  occurred  in  the  life 
of  Colonel  Byrd,  which  has  been  furnished 
me  by  a  lady  who  is  a  native  of  Virginia.  On 
one  occasion  he  was  on  a  visit  to  Governor 
Spotswood,  of  Virginia,  and,  among  the  other 
pets  which  the  Governor  had  at  home,  was  a 
beautiful  fawn.  While  the  company  was 
seated  at  the  dinner  table,  at  which  Colonel 
Byrd  was  the  guest  of  honor,  the  fawn  came 
up  and,  looking  through  an  open  window, 
115 


saw  reflected  in  the  large  mirror,  hanging  on 
the  opposite  wall,  its  picture.  Thinking  it 
another  deer,  the  fawn  made  a  dart  through 
the  window  and  crashed  into  the  mirror, 
also  the  china  from  which  the  dinner  was 
being  served,  making  quite  a  scene  and  one 
long  to  be  remembered  by  those  present. 
Surely  it  was  quite  a  memorable  visit  for 
Colonel  Byrd  to  the  Governor  of  Virginia. 

The  following  is  an  extract  taken  from  an 
article  by  Alice  Broaddus  Mitchell  in  "Kind 
Words,"  published  in  Nashville,  Tenn. : 

"It  has  been  said  that  the  primitive  Vir- 
ginians were  not  such  readers  as  the  Puri- 
tans, but  there  is  sufficient  reason  to  believe 
from  what  has  been  learned  of  the  prominent 
men  of  Colonial  times  that  they  were  highly 
cultured  in  those  days.  And  in  what  we 
gather  from  this  we  find  a  very  noticeable 
feature  in  the  character  and  life  of  Colonel 
Byrd.  So  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  learn 
of  him  he  must  have  cherished  a  great  fond- 
ness for  culture  and  literature,  from  the  fact 
116 


William  Byrd  Northam,  Jr.,  Esq. 
Chester,  Pa. 


that  he  had  in  his  home  at  Westover  a  solid 
library  that  numbered  nearly  4,000  volumes.'' 
And  still  there  remains  to  this  time  high 
aspirations  in  the  minds  of  many  of  the  de- 
scendants of  that  worthy  name,  that  move 
them  in  the  pursuit  of  culture  and  useful 
callings  in  life.  The  writer  has  in  mind 
some  of  the  offspring  of  that  family  of  Byrds 
of  Muddy  Creek,  Accomack  county,  Va.,  of 
whom  he  has  endeavored  to  give  a  brief  ac- 
count. 

The  following  are  a  few  of  the  names 
which  are  worthy  of  mention :  Hon.  John  R. 
Rew  and  his  brother,  I.  Harry  Rew.  They 
are  both  prominent  lawyers  and  practice  in 
the  courts  of  Accomack.  Their  mother  was 
Cynthia  E.  Byrd,  born  at  Muddy  Creek,  in 
the  homestead  of  her  grandfather,  Parker 
Byrd.  They  are  the  fourth  generation  of 
said  Parker  Byrd  of  1769,  on  the  mother's 
side  of  the  family.  Also  William  Byrd 
Northam,  Jr.,  of  Chester,  Pa.,  who  is  a 
young  lawyer  of  promise  and  practices  his 
117 


profession  in  that  city.  His  grandmother 
was  Margaret  Byrd,  and  his  maternal  great- 
grandfather was  Johannas  Byrd,  of  1777,  in 
Accomack  county,  Virginia.  The  Rev.  Asa 
N.  Byrd,  an  eminent  Baptist  minister  of  Lib- 
erty, Clay  county,  Mo.  He  is  of  the  third 
generation  from  Daniel  T.  Byrd,  of  1785,  at 
the  old  Byrd  homestead  of  Muddy  Creek,  Va. 
These  men,  having  a  purpose  in  view  to  ele- 
vate their  fellow  man  socially  and  relig- 
iously, with  many  other  of  their  kindred, 
who  are  pursuing  honorable  vocations  in  the 
business  world,  are  of  this  branch  of  the 
Byrd  family  of  Muddy  Creek,  Va. 

The  writer  has  learned  from  parental  and 
ancestral  information  that  this  branch  of  the 
Byrd  family  was  a  sturdy  and  valorous  peo- 
ple, quite  domestic  in  their  habits,  of  up- 
right integrity,  true  in  their  principles  and 
of  honest  dealings.  They  were  not  wealthy, 
neither  were  any  of  them  poor.  They  lived 
on  their  own  resources,  had  plentiful  sup- 
plies for  all  their  demands  and  met  their  ob- 
118 


Rev.  Asa  N.  Byrd 
Liberty,  Mo. 


ligations  faithfully.  They  were  mostly  farm- 
ers and  lived  on  their  own  farms.  They  were 
not  selfish  people  but  were  always  ready  to 
show  kindness  to  each  other  in  doing 
neighborly  favors  in  alternate  turns.  Their 
social  life  was  of  the  most  friendly  manner. 

Well  does  the  writer  call  to  memory  the 
good  old  days,  as  far  back  as  three  score  and 
ten  years,  how  their  social  life  at  that  time 
corresponded  with  the  information  that  he 
had  of  their  primitive  customs  as  they  would 
gather  at  his  father's  house  for  an  evening's 
pleasure.  The  company  would  be  seated  in 
semi-circle  around  the  spacious  room  before 
a  large  open  fire-place,  with  a  blazing  fire 
in  view.  The  women  would  be  picking  the 
seeds  from  the  cotton,  knitting  or  doing 
some  other  needed  work,  preparatory  to  the 
making  of  useful  apparel,  and  enjoy  talking 
about  their  geese,  turkeys  and  other  house- 
hold affairs,  while  the  men  would  be  engaged 
in  speaking  of  their  ordinary  interests  or  dis- 
cussing some  political  matter  concerning  the 
119 


great  Henry  Clay  or  Daniel  Webster  or  of 
some  other  worthy  statesman,  until  a  proper 
leaving  time,  and  after  participating  in  eat- 
ing apples  or  sweet  potatoes  roasted  by  the 
big  fire,  before  which  they  had  spent  the 
evening,  and  enjoying  a  glass  of  sweet  cider 
they  would  bid  adieu  and  go  to  their  homes, 
all  feeling  that  they  had  spent  a  delightful 
evening.  Such  were  the  pleasant  times  in 
which  our  ancestors  lived. 

I  do  not  know  that  they  entertained  any 
political  sentiment  in  their  former  days  ex- 
cept that  they  regarded  themselves  subject  to 
the  English  crown,  until  the  war,  declared  by 
the  thirteen  United  Colonies  against  Great 
Britian  for  their  national  liberty — The  Revo- 
lutionary War.  Then,  as  I  have  been  in- 
formed, they  co-operated  with  their  own 
loved  America  in  assisting  to  obtain  their 
freedom  from  a  tyrannical  government. 
There  were  no  Tories  among  them.  They  all 
adopted  the  true  Whig  principles,  were  loyal 
citizens  of  their  loved  country,  and  their 

120 


political  sentiments  ran  down  with  the  old 
line  Whig  party  until  it  became  extinct  about 
the  year  1854,  when  it  was  abandoned. 

Their  mode  of  religious  worship,  as  I  have 
learned,  was  of  the  Established  Church  of 
England  until  about  the  latter  part  of  the 
ISth  century,  and  as  the  churches  in  those 
days  were  so  sparsely  located,  the  worship- 
ers very  probably  rendered  much  of  their  de- 
votional service  to  Almighty  God  at  their 
homes.  I  have  seen  my  good  old  grand- 
mother's prayer  book,  read  prayers  from  it  in 
my  boyhood  days  and  found  therein  con- 
tained some  of  the  most  excellent  devotional 
sentiment.  I  have  also  in  my  possession  at 
this  time  a  volume  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Yorik's 
sermons,  a  very  old  book,  printed  in  the  old 
fashion  type  which  is  quite  difficult  for  young 
readers  of  these  days  to  understand.  I  am 
quite  sure  that  my  grandmother  read  these 
sermons  from  that  old  book  when  it  was  not 
convenient  for  her  to  attend  the  public  wor- 
ship. 

121 


It  was  soon  after  the  beginning  of  the 
Revolutionary  War  that  this  Byrd  family  be- 
gan to  change  their  former  religious  views. 
On  the  fourth  day  of  July,  1776,  as  I  have 
been  informed,  a  Baptist  minister,  by  the 
name  of  Elijah  Baker,  came  from  the  Wes- 
tern Shore  of  Virginia  and  located  near  the 
head  of  Old  Plantation  Creek,  in  North- 
ampton county,  Eastern  Shore,  Va.,  and 
preached  the  Gospel  there,  instructing  the 
people  in  Baptist  views  as  he  had  received 
them  from  the  New  Testament,  and  contin- 
ued to  preach  all  along  this  peninsula  from 
the  Capes  of  Virginia  as  far  as  Salisbury, 
which  at  that  time  was  in  Worcester  county, 
Maryland,  now  Wicomico  county,  founded 
several  churches  along  the  lower  part  of  the 
Peninsula  and  suffered  bitter  persecution  for 
promulgating  his  religious  views.  He  was 
fined  and  imprisoned  in  the  county  jail  at 
Drummond  Town,  in  Accomack  county,  Va., 
the  same  old  historic  jail  that  was  built  sev- 
eral hundred  years  ago,  still  remains  there 
122 


to  this  day  and  is  yet  used  for  a  prison.  The 
writer  visited  this  old  romantic  building  in 
January,  1907,  and  found  it  a  very  ancient 
and  gloomy  looking  place.  It  was  there  that 
this  man  of  God  was  punished  and  forbidden 
to  preach  the  Gospel  under  heavy  penalty, 
which  was  placed  upon  him,  and  other  severe 
trials  that  he  endured,  but  like  the  old  ser- 
vant of  God,  he  did  not  let  any  of  these 
things  move  him,  not  being  daunted  by  the 
hindrances  that  he  found  in  his  way,  he  bold- 
ly and  faithfully  preached  the  gospel  wher- 
ever he  could  get  hearers. 

I  have  been  informed  that  during  the  sum- 
mer of  1777  he  preached  in  a  grove  near  the 
head  of  Muddy  Creek  in  Accomack  county, 
Va.,  held  religious  meetings  there  and  bap- 
tized a  number  of  converts,  among  whom  was 
Naomi  Byrd,  the  writer's  grandmother,  in 
that  stream  of  water,  and  which  is  still  used 
for  the  administration  of  that  ordinance  and 
where  now  stands  a  large  and  influential 
123 


Baptist  church.  From  about  that  time  the 
Byrd  family  of  Muddy  Creek  accepted  the 
Baptist  views  of  Christianity  and  many  of 
them  still  hold  on  to  their  faith,  though 
many  of  their  descendants  have  accepted  the 
views  of  the  Methodist,  of  both  branches  of 
that  church,  and  worship  with  those  denomi- 
nations, while  some  of  them  may  belong  to 
other  Protestant  denominations.  I  never 
knew  but  one  Catholic  in  this  branch  of  the 
Byrd  family. 

Much  more  might  be  said  of  this  worthy 
family,  but  from  the  jottings  we  have  ob- 
tained we  learn  that,  though  there  may  be 
retrogrades,  as  is  the  case  in  almost  all  fami- 
lies, we  notice  that  they  were  among  the 
noted  worthies  that  graced  the  soil  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  many  of  their  numerous  descen- 
dants are  now  living  in  quite  a  number  of  the 
States  of  the  Union. 

Since  the  author  of  this  work  began  his 
effort  (January,  1907)  to  produce  this  brief 
124 


genealogy  and  history,  he  has  received  many 
kind  words  of  approval  and  appreciation 
from  members  of  the  family  in  different  parts 
of  the  country,  also  many  expressions  of 
desire  that  the  issue  might  be  a  success,  coup- 
led with  a  desire  to  obtain  a  copy  of  the 
book.  But  from  the  fact  that  only  the  Byrd 
family  is  expected  to  be  interested  in  its 
history,  my  receipts  may  fall  short  of  the 
outlay  in  money  for  its  publication,  aside 
from  the  large  amount  of  time  and  labor  ex- 
pended on  it.  For  this  I  have  no  regrets,  for 
it  has  been  a  labor  of  love  on  my  part  and 
it  is  an  inexpressible  satisfaction  to  me  that 
I  have  dug  up  from  obscurity,  as  it  were, 
and  put  in  desirable  form,  a  history  of  the 
family,  that  can  be  perused  by  the  present 
generation  and  handed  down  to  those  who 
follow  after  us.  I  trust  it  has  tended  to 
draw  the  family  much  nearer  together  and 
has  aroused  an  increased  interest  in  family 
history  and  genealogy  that  will  influence  the 
125 


family,  in  future,  to  keep  better  records,  etc., 
in  all  of  which  I  feel  that  I  have  my  reward. 

Colwell  P.  Byrd. 

Pocomoke  City,  Md.,  January,  1908. 


D01 139368V 


